Varicose veins are exceedingly common, with over 40 million people in the US suffering from them. The condition occurs when the valves in your veins no longer close properly after blood has passed through them, causing the affected vein to become discolored and enlarged. This leads to pain and swelling as well as cosmetic issues. Here at North Texas Vein & Vascular in Flower Mound, TX, we offer varicose vein treatment to permanently remove your varicosities.
Because everyone’s situation is different, we use several methods, including sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, VenaSeal vein closure, foam sclerotherapy, and ambulatory phlebectomy. Depending on your esthetic goals, your underlying health issues, and the severity of your varicose veins, we will choose the most suitable method. Let’s have a closer look at the various treatments and how they could help you.
What’s the Best Way To Get Rid of Varicose Veins?
In the past, varicose veins had to be removed through a surgical procedure. But fortunately, this is no longer necessary, and we have several innovative treatment options that can help you permanently get rid of your varicosities without having to undergo invasive surgery. During sclerotherapy, foam sclerotherapy, and VenaSeal, a substance that closes your vein is injected. Radiofrequency ablation achieves the same goal with radio waves.
When you first come to the clinic, we will ask you about your symptoms and how long you’ve been suffering from varicose veins. Then, we’ll explain the various treatment options in greater detail. If you have a preference, we will take this into consideration. If not, our specialists will recommend the solution that is likely to produce the best results for you.
Sclerotherapy
One of the most popular methods of varicose vein removal is called sclerotherapy. If you opt for this treatment, your doctor will inject a pharmaceutical agent called sclerosant into the relevant veins. This will cause the walls of your veins to collapse, so blood can no longer flow through them. As a result, your body will mark the veins as dysfunctional and break them down.
The results from sclerotherapy are permanent because your veins can’t regrow once they have been removed. While some patients notice an immediate change, others experience more gradual results over several weeks. In fact, it can take up to six months for your body to fully break down the varicose veins. In many cases, you will have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Handley to evaluate your progress and determine whether you need more treatment.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is another well-known method of removing unwanted veins from the body. Some patients prefer it over the other varicose vein treatment options because it doesn’t involve injecting a substance into the diseased vein. Instead, radio waves are applied to the tissue. The heat they emit cause the vein to close and then be removed by your body.
Ablation is performed with the help of an ultrasound device that guides the radio waves to the correct spot. Before your treatment, you will apply EMLA cream to your leg. If you take blood-thinning medication, we recommend that you keep using it during the treatment period because it can make radiofrequency ablation safer for you.
VenaSeal Vein Closure
Just like sclerotherapy, VenaSeal vein closure makes use of a substance that causes your vein to close and therefore be absorbed by the body. However, during VenaSeal treatment, we inject a medical adhesive instead of sclerosant. This method is much newer than sclerotherapy, but patients are already seeing great results from it.
It is especially remarkable that most people don’t feel any pain during their VenaSeal appointment and that there is no downtime associated with this treatment. After your appointment, you can walk out of the clinic and resume your regular activities while your body works hard to break down your varicosities.
Foam Sclerotherapy
Sometimes, a patient’s veins are too large to be treated with traditional sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation. In such a case, we can use foam sclerotherapy. During your session, Dr. Handley will inject foamy sclerosant into your vein. This can reach and fill out larger surface areas and therefore provide you with more complete results. To make sure the vein is targeted correctly, we use a Duplex ultrasound test during foam sclerotherapy.
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Sometimes, the above-mentioned minimally invasive treatments aren’t sufficient to fully remove varicose veins. In such a case, we can perform ambulatory phlebectomy, which involves the surgical removal of your veins. Your doctor will make tiny incisions along the relevant vein and carefully remove them. This type of phlebectomy usually takes less than an hour and is performed without general anesthesia, so you can go home on the same day.
Do Varicose Veins Need To Be Treated?
Most patients don’t experience a great deal of pain when they first develop varicose veins. In fact, people often believe that varicosities are simply a cosmetic concern. However, this isn’t always true, and diseased veins can affect your health significantly. Apart from skin discolorations and changes in your legs’ texture, the most common symptoms are pain, swelling, dry skin, a heavy feeling in the legs, and cramping.
However, some people also develop open sores that take a long time to heal. In extreme cases, varicosities can eventually lead to dangerous blood clots. If you experience symptoms that affect your day-to-day life, you shouldn’t delay seeing a specialist and finding out more about treatment options. Having diseased veins removed can improve your overall health and mobility, allowing you to enjoy a greater quality of life.
Which Treatment Is Right for Me?
As discussed, all the treatments we perform are extremely successful and produce permanent results. But not every method is suitable for every patient. The best way to find out which of our solutions is right for you is to get in touch with us and speak to our specialists. We will invite you to an initial consultation, during which we can get to know you and your symptoms.
If you have mild to moderate varicosities, sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation could be a great treatment for you. However, if your veins are very large and swollen, foam sclerotherapy might be the best option. During your first meeting with us, we can also discuss how many sessions you need and what you can do to support your treatment’s results.
What Can I Expect from my Appointment at the Clinic?
Except for ambulatory phlebectomy, all our vein removal treatments are minimally invasive, which means that we won’t have to make large incisions and remove tissue from your body. After you arrive for the appointment, we will apply numbing cream to the treatment area to make sure you won’t feel pain. Then, we will apply the radiofrequency energy, sclerosant, or medical adhesive.
Once your doctor has closed your vein, you are free to go home. If you’ve never had varicose vein treatment before, it might be a good idea to take an afternoon or one day off work to rest and recover. However, you should be able to resume your regular activities within 24 hours. Over the next months, your veins will be absorbed by your body until they are no longer visible.
Do I Need To Wear Compression Stockings?
Sometimes, patients’ varicosities aren’t pronounced enough to warrant removal, so we prescribe compression stockings instead. What’s more, almost all patients need to wear this garment after they have undergone treatment.
The purpose of compression stockings is to apply pressure to your lower legs, which keeps the blood flowing well and assists with the healing process. Because there are various sizes and strengths available, you should always use the stockings recommended by your doctor.
Get Rid of Painful and Concerning Varicose Veins Now
While most patients initially perceive their varicose veins as a cosmetic concern, the condition can worsen and ultimately cause pain, swelling, dry skin, and further complications such as blood clots. If you have varicosities, you should speak to a doctor at your local clinic to find out whether you could have them removed. There are several minimally invasive treatment options, so you don’t have to visit a hospital or spend many weeks recovering.
Sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, VenaSeal vein closure, and foam sclerotherapy are some of our most popular methods of addressing varicosities. Call or message us now at North Texas Vein & Vascular in Flower Mound, TX to find out more about these methods and discover which one could be the best for you. Our varicose vein treatment specialists will be happy to evaluate your condition and help you get rid of your varicosities for good.
