How to Treat Varicose Veins by Meredi Wagner-Hoehn

Varicose veins are the unattractive and uncomfortable blue/purple veins which bulge out of the leg. Varicose veins are an incredibly common issue in the U.S., and since they can be visually unappealing and physically painful, varicose vein treatments are highly sought after. Depending on the severity of the venous condition, different procedures are available to effectively treat the vein.

Initial Varicose Vein Assessment

The first step is to contact your Austin phlebologist (vein specialist) to discover the extent of your particular condition. At this time, they’ll conduct a history and a physical to thoroughly evaluate the veins. They also perform a duplex ultrasound evaluation to discover if any varicose veins hidden under the surface of the skin are feeding into the visible varicose veins. Then, your phlebologist will know which treatments will best address your condition.

Compression Stockings

Compression stockings look like knee-socks, but they’re built to encourage blood flow in the leg veins. The medicinal socks allocate particular pressure around the ankles, and then they slowly lose pressure as they extend up to the knee. This helps reduce minor veins because it reduces blood congestion, encouraging the blood to move steadily.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical venous treatment which involves your phlebologist injecting a solution into the vein. The solution then causes the vein to seal shut, eventually dissolving it over the course of a few weeks. Generally, people require multiple sclerotherapy treatments to effectively erase the varicose vein. Other forms of sclerotherapy include foam sclerotherapy and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, both of which serve similar purposes for slightly different situations.

Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT)

EVLT also closes the vein, but it does so through the use of a laser instead of a solution. Your Austin phlebologist inserts the laser into the offending vein through a needle, emitting pulses of light into the vein to close it.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

For bulkier varicose veins, ambulatory phlebectomy involves small, precise punctures in the skin through which your phlebologist extracts the veins. Although this is a surgical procedure, stitches are generally unnecessary and scars hardly ever develop.

If you’re looking to get rid of your varicose vein pain, contact Zimmet Vein & Dermatology to discuss which varicose vein treatment will best address your condition.