Venous insufficiency is a condition where blood pools in the vein rather than being efficiently pumped back to the heart. Leg problems are widespread throughout the world affecting approximately 50-60% of the population. What most people do not know is that approximately 90% of leg disorders originate within the vein. If you have tired, aching, swollen legs, swollen ankles or the beginning of varicose veins , it is time to learn how to improve the health of your venous circulation. Vein problems can progressively worsen over time and can affect your health and well-being for the rest of your life. Anything that slows down the flow of blood, changes or damages the vein wall or venouse valves, or thickens the blood can lead to venous insuficiency.
Venous insufficiency can lead to varicose veins, phlebitis (inflammation of the veins), thrombophlebitis (clots in the inflamed veins), blood clots and changes in the skin including leg ulcers. These can be not only cosmetically displeasing but also medically significant and a danger to your health.
Varicose Veins – Before and After Pictires
Varicose veins and broken vessels removal – FAQ
1. what are the “Danger Signals”?
In most cases, leg problems do not occur just “out of the blue.” There are typical warning signs such as:
- Heavy, hot or tired legs.
- Feeling of tension, cramps, fatigue or stabbing of the calves.
- Swollen ankles.
- First signs of varicose veins.
- bulging of hte veins in the legs
- broken capillaries
2. What are the risk factors?
- High-fat, low -fiber diet.
- Lack of exercise.
- Jobs requiring prolonged standing or sitting.
- Surgery or Trauma.
- Infectious disease.
- Use of hormones, medication.
- Age over 40.
3. What are the symptoms of the vein disease?
Chronic venous insufficiency is a condition in which the veins are constantly congested with pooled blood causing circulation to be significantly impaired. Symptoms include:
- Edema or swelling.
- Feeling of heaviness in the leg.
- Pain or cramps in the calves.
- Uncomfortable puffiness of the feet and ankles that subsides during the night.
- Skin discolorations.
- Dermatitis. (skin problems)
- Dry or weeping eczema.
- Venous ulcer.
A venous leg ulcer is an open wound that usually forms in the ankle and is due to chronic poor circulation. The ulcer has a weeping raw appearance and the skin surrounding the ulcer is dry, itchy, and brownish or blackish in color. Venous leg ulcers are usually slow to heal and cause a great deal of morbidity.
4. What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are unsightly and uncomfortable veins that have lost their ability to take the blood from the legs back up to the heart and lungs. This reversal of flow overfills the veins giving a bulging varicose appearance. The swollen veins cause aching, heavy, tired legs, night cramps, itching and other symptoms.
5. Do I need these veins for my circulation, and where does the blood go?
Varicose veins are part of the superficial venous system which returns only 5-10% of the blood flow from the legs back to the heart. Varicose veins are really normal vessels that have an abnormal amount of blood in them. They become dilated and blood is not moved efficiently through them. Varicose veins are dilated vessels in shich the blood is not moving efficeintly. They are actually a burden to your circulation. When the varicose veins are eliminated, the legs should feel lighter and more vibrant as evidence of the improved circulation. This is because the body has rerouted the blood flow into stronger, healthier, deeper veins.
6. Do varicose veins come back?
The microsurgical procedure removes the veins permanently. Sclerotherapy destroys the veins so they will not return once treatment is complete. Neither procedure, however, will prevent new veins from forming.
7. What are spider veins?
Spider veins are tiny dilated blood vessels located just below the surface of the skin often appearing darker and more prominent, being red, blue or purple in color due to their location.
8. What causes spider veins?
Spider veins are formed when the veins become dilated and swollen with stagnant blood. Pregnancy and hormone variations may stimulate their appearance.
New Horizons offers their clients several treatment options
The procedures recommended are based upon the severity of your condition. All patients are instructed to walk a great deal following treatment to reroute the blood to the deeper, healthier veins. Compression stockings are used to assist in healing and to reduce any mild discomfort or swelling that may occur. The procedures may include.
Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT)
Endovascular laser therapy is the most effective and least invasive procedure to treat your symptoms. This is an alternative to traditional stripping in the long saphenous vein that would be the source or the cause of the bulging surface veins and of symptoms of pain, fatigue, etc. Using local anesthesia, a thin laser fiber is inserted into the vein through a needle delivering energy to the vein while causing it to collapse and seal shut; thus, eliminating the vein and eliminating the cause of the symptoms.
This is a “microsurgical” approach for large bulging varicose veins through the surface of the skin. Under local anesthesia, the diseased veins are delicately extracted using specially designed hooks. The incisions are truly stab wounds and are so small, no stiches are requird and there is virtually no scarring.
Sclerotherapy / ultrasound-guided therapy
This involves the injection of a solution into the diseased veins causing them to shrink, close off and gradually disappear. For large varicosities, ultrasound is often used to guide the injections into underlying vessels not seen on the surface of the skin. This delivers medication into a precise location safely and accurately to achieve superior long-lasting results.
Laser spider vein treatment
A laser generates an intense beam of light that can selectively target a treatment site. The laser light is absorbed by oxyhemoglobin (bright red blood cells carrying oxygen) and melanin (black or brown pigment found in the skin) causing decomposition or destruction by heat of unwanted cells while leaving healthy cells intact.
Laser spider vein treatment – FAQ
What are the benefits of laser surgery?
The benefits of laser treatment over alternative therapies may include improved therapeutic results precisely controlled surgery which limits injury to normal skin, fewer complications and a safe and effective outpatient, same day surgery for vascular and pigmented lesions.
What is a vascular lesion?
A vascular lesion is formed by abnormally large or numerous blood vessels located directly under the surface of the skin. These vessels may be visible through the skin and may result in a red appearance of the skin.
What is a pigmented lesion?
Melanin is the dark pigment present in skin and is produced by melanocytes. Pigmented lesions occur when an abundance of melanocytes are found in the skin. Lesions may be flat or slightly raised.
What Conditions are treated with the Laser?
- Facial Telangiectasia – surface veins caused by dilation of capilary vessels or arterioles.
- Cherry Angiomas – slightly raised, red lesions.
- Spider Angiomas – slightly raised, red spider-like lesions.
- Scar Neovascularization – redness that may appear in or around a scar.
- Rosacea – red facial lesions around the nose and cheeks causing a sunburn look.
- Spider Veins – small, superficial purple or red veins stretching like a web under the skin, often appearing on legs.
What should a patient expect during treatment ?
Treatment may vary depending upon patient characteristics and the area being treated. An individual treatment program will be developed by your physician. Treatment sessions typically take 10-15 minutes. Patients are advised to remove make-up in the treatment area and to avoid tanning prior to scheduling a treatment.
You will be placed in a reclined position and asked to wear special goggles to protect your eyes from the intense beam of laser light. The doctor will use a pen-like handpiece to direct a beam of laser light to the lesion. Some patients report feeling a slight stinging sensation during treatment so a cooling gel or system may be used to help alleviate any discomfort.
What should a patient expect after treatment?
Some redness may occur in the treatment area immediately following treatment; however, it should subside within several hours. Some swellling may also be experienced and will go away in 1-2 days. Unlike older technologies, laser treatment will not cause any purple skin discoloration or bruised appearance to the treated skin.
Postoperative care is minimal. Your doctor may ask you to use anti-bacterial ointment on the treated area for a short period of time and will suggest that you stay out of the sun during the healing process.
Final treatment results should be evident 10-14 days after treatment for vascular lesions and within 2-3 weeks after treatment for pigmented lesions. In the meantime, normal activities can be resumed with only a slight redness evident at the treatment area.
How will I know if laser treatment is right for me?
Ask your doctor. After a brief examination, your doctor will determine if laser treatment is appropriate for you.
Do I need to schedule an appointment ?
Since treatment only takes a few minutes, your physician may be able to perform the procedure today. Ask your doctor for details.
Vein problems are sometimes not only a cosmetic problems
They can be related to real medical problems such as leg pains and skin ulcerations. Therefor they can be covered by the medical insurance.
Vein problems – FAQ
Will my insurance pay for treatment?
The initial consultation and ultrasound is usually covered. For large varicosities, diagnostic testing and treatment is covered and is deemed medically necessary depending on your symptoms. Treatment of spider veins, however, is considered cosmetic and is not covered by insurance.
How long will my treatment take?
Treatments for normal office visit for sclerotherapy are 25-30 minutes. For the endovascular venous laser therapy and ambulatory phlebectomy, the procedure usually takes 30-40 minutes with total time in the office approximately 90 minutes including preoperative and postoperative time. Healing will take place over several weeks. Your veins will be gone leaving you with healthy, symptom-free and better looking legs.
Are there any restrictions to my activity?
No, there are no restrictions. Exercise is encouraged. The more you walk, the bet ter the long-term results will be.
How long does it take to look better?
Following treatment, the veins may look darker in color with some bruising because blood may become trapped within the veins so they close down. This is expected and is addressed during your subsequent treatment sessions. The tiniest spider veins may disappear quicly while the larger veins require a few weeks to improve their appearance. Healing can take approximately up to 8 weeks.