If you have developed varicose veins on your legs, then you may dread wearing those summer shorts that you used to love wearing. While others may not notice those problematic veins, you may feel less confident showing off your legs. Thankfully, varicose vein treatment is now easier than ever, and you even have several options to choose from that can eliminate them quickly with little to no downtime. Consider one of the following varicose vein removal options:
1. Sclerotherapy
Obtaining sclerotherapy for your unsightly varicose veins involves just a simple injection of a substance called sclerosant into your varicose veins. The sclerosant damages your veins and then the body recognizes the damage and heals itself by absorbing the veins.
The injection solution used is either a liquid, for smaller veins, or a foam for larger ones. A local anesthetic is injected prior to the sclerosant to keep the procedure pain-free. After the procedure, you then must wear compression stockings for a few days, but you can resume all of your normal activities.
The only disadvantage to this super-simple procedure is that it sometimes takes more than one treatment before the veins are completely destroyed. If you have large veins, then a doctor may not advise this procedure but instead consider one of the other options. You can talk with a place like Carolina Vein Institute about other options.
2. Endovenous Laser Therapy
Another option for moderate-sized varicose vein treatment is endovenous laser therapy. This is a bit more intensive procedure, so while local anesthesia is often used, your doctor may prefer to put you under general anesthesia instead. Your doctor will use a wire as a guide to then insert a catheter in the vein being removed. A laser fiber is then inserted into the catheter, and a laser is then fired over the fiber for several minutes. This destroys the vein, so your body can then absorb it.
After the procedure, you will have to wear compression stockings for a few days and keep your leg dry. While a bit more intensive, this procedure does not need to be repeated and can eliminate large varicose veins for good.
3. Vein Stripping
If you have larger varicose veins that are too large for sclerotherapy or laser therapy, then your doctor may recommend a vein stripping procedure instead. While this procedure is not as quick and simple as the others, it can be performed with just a short procedure that requires no hospital stay.
To prevent pain, your doctor will recommend either local or general anesthesia. Several incisions will be made in your leg, including one in your groin and one below your knee, and the vein is then removed manually. Sometimes, instead of removing the vein, a doctor may instead tie off each end to prevent blood from flowing through it; if no blood flows through the vein, it will not bulge and will no longer be visible underneath your skin.
You also need to wear compression stockings after this treatment, and your doctor may advise you to keep your leg elevated for several days after surgery to aid healing.
If you don't like the appearance of your varicose veins, then realize you have many treatment options to have them removed permanently, so you can begin wearing the shorts again. Vein treatment today is quicker and easier than it was in the past, and there are many options, so there is one that is perfect for you.
Share13 July 2015
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