Varicose veins develop when the one-way valves inside your veins weaken and allow blood to pool and pressure to build. The veins stretch and become visible under your skin. Nearly one-third of Americans have them, and standing for long periods, pregnancy, aging, or a family history of vein disease can increase your risk of developing vein disease.
At first, you may just notice twisted, bulging, discolored veins, but they aren’t solely cosmetic. Varicose veins can cause leg cramps, heaviness, and even increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
This begs the question: What can you do about varicose veins? The answer: A lot!
In this post, our providers at Vascular Specialists highlight varicose vein treatment options available at our Vein Care Institute and explain what you can expect during each one.
Before you get started with varicose vein treatment, your first step is to schedule a consultation. During this appointment, one of our experienced providers performs a detailed exam and uses vascular ultrasound to evaluate blood flow in your legs.
Vascular ultrasounds are noninvasive in-office imaging procedures that take approximately 30-45 minutes. We apply a gel to the skin in the area we’re examining to help sound waves travel more effectively, and then we move a handheld device over your legs.
Once your vein pattern is mapped, our team develops a treatment plan that’s just right for you.
We help you understand what your treatment will entail, depending on what type of varicose vein procedure you need and the severity of your vein disease.
Sclerotherapy is a common minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins, and there are many variations of it. Regardless, the general process is the same: A member of our team injects a special medication directly into the affected veins.
The medication causes the veins to shrink and collapse. The blood then reroutes to healthier veins, and the treated veins fade over time.
For larger varicose veins, your Vein Care Institute provider may use ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy with Varithena™. This type of sclerotherapy uses a foam-based medication. Varithena expands inside your vein and coats the walls evenly — even in hard-to-reach areas.
You may feel some mild cramping when the medication is injected, but it’s short-lived. After your session is complete, you need to wear compression stockings and avoid strenuous activity until you’re cleared by one of our doctors.
Ablation treats the underlying source of your varicose veins using heat energy. At our Vein Care Institute, we use two kinds of heat energy: laser and radiofrequency energy.
To get started, your provider makes a tiny cut in the skin and inserts a thin catheter into the affected vein. Guided by ultrasound, they deliver either radiofrequency or laser energy along the length of the vein. The heat seals the vein closed, and your body then reroutes blood flow to nearby healthy veins.
This procedure takes less than an hour and typically requires only local anesthesia. You can also expect to wear compression stockings after endovenous ablation.
VenaSeal™ offers a different approach; it uses a medical adhesive instead of heat or medication. Using a catheter, our team delivers a small amount of this safe adhesive inside the affected vein and seals it shut instantly. We apply pressure along the length of your vein.
Because VenaSeal doesn’t use heat, there’s no need for anesthesia or compression stockings afterward in most cases.
If you choose VenaSeal, you can expect a shorter recovery time compared to ablation. Research shows that 94.6% of people who treated their varicose veins with VenaSeal still had lasting results even five years later.
We perform all three of these procedures in our office. They require no hospital stay and involve minimal downtime. You may experience mild tenderness or bruising for a few days after your varicose vein treatment, but these symptoms fade quickly.
Over the next few weeks, your legs start to look and feel lighter as your body naturally absorbs the treated veins.
Whether you’re seeking relief from pain, improved circulation, or smoother-looking legs, we help you achieve long-lasting results safely and comfortably.
Call 815-824-4406 to schedule an appointment with our Vascular Specialists team in Tinley Park, Illinois. You can also contact us through our online scheduling system.
