Vein Center

Varicose veins are enlarged veins that are swollen and raised above the surface of the skin, which occur due to a weakening in the vein's wall or valves. They can be dark purple or blue.

Overview

Veins are one-way valves that keep your blood flowing to the heart. If the valves are weak or damaged, blood can remain in the valves, causing swelling in the vein, which can lead to varicose veins.

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Large veins that are visible under the surface of your skin

Mild swelling, discoloration or ulcers around your ankles

Painful, achy, tender or heavy feelings in your legs

Restless leg syndrome

Throbbing or cramping in your legs

Itchy legs, especially on the lower leg and ankle

Discolored skin in the area around the varicose vein

Varicose Vein Risk Factors, which increase the risk of developing varicose veins and arteries, include:

Family History
If someone in your family has varicose veins, you are likely at risk of developing them sometime in your life. About half of all people with varicose veins have a family history of them.

Age
As the valves in your veins age, normal wear and tear causes them to weaken. The damage prevents the veins from working properly, causing varicose veins.

Gender
Women tend to develop varicose veins more often than men. Hormonal changes that occur throughout life can raise a woman's risk of developing varicose veins.

Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the extra weight of the growing baby puts pressure on the veins in the mother's legs. Varicose veins that occur during pregnancy may get better within three to 12 months post-delivery. If not, you should speak with your physician.

Weight
Being overweight can put extra pressure on your veins, and the extra strain can lead to varicose veins.

Lack of Movement
Standing or sitting for extended periods of time, especially with your legs bent or crossed, restricts blood flow and can increase your risk of developing varicose veins.

New Minimally Invasive Treatment Options for Leg and Pelvic Pain

Leg pain, swelling, and varicose veins remain a common problem that many patients struggle with every day. We now offer new minimally invasive procedures in the office that effectively removes varicose veins and improves the overall health and feeling of the leg.

We are able to use non-thermal based treatment of the saphenous veins using cyanoacrylate glue. This allows the potential treatment of the entire length of the vein without the risk for nerve injury seen with other methods. This minimally invasive technique combined with microstab phlebectomy of bulging varicose veins with or without sclerotherapy of spider veins provides durable relief and an improved cosmetic result while simultaneously healing venous ulcers and preventing ulceration from developing.

Laser Varicose Vein Surgery
Laser varicose vein surgery is a fairly simple procedure that typically takes less than an hour. The doctor first numbs the area then places a catheter into the damaged vein. The doctor injects a numbing medicine so that the procedure should not be painful. The doctor makes a small cut into the skin and guides it towards the damaged vein. A laser fiber is inserted into the catheter and heats up the length of the vein, causing the vein to close up and eventually shrink.

Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure that involves injecting a solution directly into the damaged vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, and over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue and fades away. This procedure has proven effective since the 1930s.

Varicose Vein stripping is no longer the standard of care for the treatment of varicose veins.

The team at the Reid Vein Center are recognized as leaders within their field and perform many surgical procedures for patients with uncomfortable and unsightly veins, such as Ambulatory Phlebectomy, Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT), VNUS Closure® (endovenous radiofrequency ablation), Venaseal and Sclerotherapy.

What are they?

Spider veins, or telangiectasias, are dilated, superficial blood vessels like varicose veins but smaller and closer to the skin. These small vessels are easily visible through the skin and can be a variety of red, purple and blue in color. They look like tree branches or spider webs and are typically visible on the legs.

Overview

Like varicose veins, spider veins are caused by structural abnormalities of blood vessels. Veins utilize a series of one-way valves to avoid backflow of blood when carrying blood to the heart and other parts of the body. The valves can become defective for a number of reasons, which makes it difficult for the muscles to push the blood upward. Spider Veins are the result of blood pooling and pressure increasing within the vein.

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• Aching or cramping in the legs
• Tiredness, burning, throbbing, tingling or heaviness in the legs
• Painful, achy, tender or heavy feelings in your legs
• Itchy legs, especially on the lower leg and ankle
• Discolored skin with veins radiating out from a central point
• Undesirable cosmetic appearance

Family History/ Heredity
If someone in your family has a history of blood clots and/or spider veins, chances are that you have a greater risk of developing them sometime in your life.

Gender/ Age
Spider veins occur more often in women than in men and increase in frequency with age.

Pregnancy
During pregnancy, extra weight of the growing baby puts pressure on the veins in the mother's legs. Women who already have developed spider veins find they get worse with pregnancy.

Weight
Being overweight can put extra pressure on the veins in your legs resulting in spider veins.

Lack of Movement
Occupations that involve standing or sitting for long periods of time restricts the amount of blood flow to your legs and may increase your risk for spider veins.

Sclerotherapy
Many times spider veins are only a cosmetic issue, but for some, it becomes too much to handle. Sclerotherapy and topical laser are options available to treat the spider veins.

Light Guided Sclerotherapy
This medical procedure involves injecting a sclerosing solution directly into the damaged vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, and over time the vessel turns into scar tissue and fades by 50-80%. This has been a proven procedure since the 1930s.

The team at the Reid Vein Center are recognized as leaders within their field and perform many surgical procedures for patients with uncomfortable and unsightly veins, such as Ambulatory Phlebectomy, Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT), VNUS Closure® (endovenous radiofrequency ablation) and Sclerotherapy.

This conservative treatment provides pressure around the legs. This method reduces the back flow of blood. Please note, this does not cure venous diseases, it only alleviates the symptoms. Wearing compression hose reduces symptoms such as aching and pain, reduces ulcer recurrence, and soothes deep vein thrombosis. Low impact and light exercise focused on the legs is beneficial in relieving symptoms of venous disease.

Endovenous Thermal Ablation, involves heating on the vein until the affected veins diminish and can be easily removed.

• Done in the office
• Walk-in and walk-out
• May provide 95.9 % closure after 1 year
• Less than 1% of people experience complications
• Local Anesthesia
• It takes less than 60 minutes

Venaseal is a type of ablation that uses a chemical adhesive to seal the vein closed to eliminate the varicosities and discomfort. This minimally invasive technique combined with microstab phlebectomy of bulging varicose veins with or without sclerotherapy of spider veins provides durable relief and an improved cosmetic result while simultaneously healing venous ulcers and preventing ulceration from developing.

• Improved patient comfort
• Rapid return to normal activities
• No multiple needle sticks
• No need for post-procedure stockings
• May provide 96.8% closure after 1 year

A phlebectomy is the surgical removal of the diminished vein. It is typically used to remove varicose veins and leaves a very smooth skin surface.

• Done in the office
• It takes about 30 minutes
• Incision in the skin is only 2-3mm

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a very fine, thin needle to inject a sterile sclerosing solutiondirectly into spider and varicose veins, causing them to shrink and disappear. It reduces or eliminates the appearance of spider veins and small varicose veins in the legs, leading to smoother appearing legs and improved cosmetic appearance.

The number of sessions required may vary from patient to patient, depending upon their particular condition. Some patients are happy with results after just one treatment, others may desire further injections for the optimal effect. Because Sclerotherapy is performed with a very fine needle, there is very little pain associated with the procedure and anesthesia is not needed. Sessions take place in the physician office and last 15-30 minutes. You can return to work the same day.