The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services states that approximately 55% of women suffer from either spider or varicose veins. Many people suffering from these conditions develop anxiety and embarrassment when wearing shorts or swimsuits.
You know that when spring approaches you want a solution for your vein condition. You will want to wear shorts or skirts to show off wonderful legs, not legs covered in unsightly veins. It can be difficult to feel good about yourself when so self-conscious about these spider or varicose veins. On a positive note, there are excellent treatments available to get rid of these unsightly veins. Sclerotherapy is one such procedure that will eliminate these veins and has been helping people since the 1930s.
If you are ready to step forward and deal with your spider or varicose veins, The Secret Vein Clinic is here to help you out.
Understanding Spider & Varicose Veins:
Varicose veins appear as large, bulbous veins that are usually blue, flesh-toned or purple. In many cases, discoloration will reach the surface of your skin. These dilated veins can cause aching and swelling and are often very painful. This can also lead to a great deal of stress on your legs and make them feel weak or tired.
Spider veins are tiny blood vessels that form at the surface of the skin. Color-wise, they are usually red, purple, or blue and look like a spider’s web (hence the name). Although commonly found on your legs, they can also appear on your face which is very obvious, causing even more embarrassment!
What Causes Varicose & Spider Veins?
Issues within the blood vessels themselves cause these diseased veins. Your veins should carry blood back to your heart from other areas of your body. Veins have small valves to prevent blood from flowing back into the veins and stay on course to the heart. When these valves are not functioning properly, blood flows back into the vein increasing pressure inside the vein. This pressure will inevitably weaken the vein, causing swelling and/or bulging.
There are certain factors that come into play to answer the question why some people suffer from faulty veins while others do not:
• Increased pressure in your abdomen caused by tumors, constipation, or certain garments such as girdles.
• Obesity
• A Family History of Spider & Varicose Veins
• Hormonal Issues Such As Pregnancy, Menopause, and even Puberty
• A History of Blood Clots
• Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement
Why Would Someone Opt For Sclerotherapy?
Often this procedure is for cosmetic reasons to improve someone’s legs appearance from these veins. With this said, sclerotherapy is also used to relieve the discomforts caused by:
• Swelling
• Burning
• Aching
• Heaviness in your legs
• Cramping during the evening hours.
Understanding What Sclerotherapy Is:
Many patients choose this procedure to remove the appearance of these small varicosed and spider veins. The patient is injected directly into the vein with a solution called Sclerosant. This solution causes the vein to close up, forcing the blood to enter healthy veins. Eventually, this damaged vein is absorbed into body tissue and fades away.
Am I A Good Candidate For The Sclerotherapy Procedure?
If you suffer from either varicose or spider veins anywhere on your body, this treatment can be the solution. Your doctor will have prescribed procedures that you must follow. This might include wearing compression stockings for a certain period of time after your Sclerotherapy procedure has been completed in order to induce healthy blood flow in that area.
Pre-Op Consultation:
Though it is an extremely low-risk procedure, you will meet with your vein specialist before the surgery and will go over everything involved with the procedure.
You will discuss any problems you have experienced in the area of treatment such as pain or if there was a previous injury to the area.
Your specialist will go over any past procedures that have already been done in or around that area and any other treatments you have undergone.
The physician will want to know any information on medications you are currently taking including vitamins and/or herbal supplements and whether you have a history of tobacco, drug, or alcohol use. They will also want your family history and information regarding any allergies.
After the consultation, your physician will diagnose your health and any possible pre-existing health conditions you might have. He or she will find out if you have any risk factors that could affect your safety during this procedure. Your physician will also examine your veins to see if this is the right procedure for you. He or she will discuss the usual outcome of your varicose or spider vein treatment, any possible risks, and potential complications so that you fully understand the entire process.
How Does Sclerotherapy Work?
Sclerotherapy is minimally invasive and is not a surgical procedure. It is an injection of a saline solution that uses a very fine needle that is applied directly to the problem vein. Some people will experience a slight cramping or mild discomfort for a minute or two as the solution enters the vein. This is very common in the treatment of larger veins. The number of veins involved in one procedure will depend on the size and location of the veins involved along with your overall health. Sclerotherapy will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete and is performed in your doctor’s office.
The Expected Recovery Time:
Most patients will return to their normal lives and activities very quickly. Certain activities such as hot tubs, aerobics, or saunas should be avoided for a few days after the procedure is performed. Your doctor may require that you where supportive compression stockings while your legs are healing. The areas where the treatment was performed will probably have bruising and you might experience some cramping for a few days afterward. Your doctor can provide you with a prescription to help alleviate any possible discomfort.
End Results:
After your treatment, you will notice great improvement in your skin’s appearance. Some people will have to go through more than one treatment to get the best results. Once you have received the expected results from the treatment, it will be permanent because the diseased vein is ultimately absorbed and done away with. With this said, you must understand that this procedure will not prevent other veins from surfacing in the future. Should you have another vein problem, you should have further treatments to correct those veins as well.
The Secret Vein Clinic
7634 Girard Avenue • La Jolla, CA 92037
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 6 PM • Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM
There are many misconceptions on how sclerotherapy treatments actually work. From online forums and videos posted may or may not have accurate information. Your best bet is to contact a vascular specialist that can answer any questions you may have on vein treatments.