Nearly one-quarter of the population in the United states has a varicose vein or two in their legs. If you find yourself in this group, we’ve got good news — the road to clearing away these veins is a fairly smooth one.
At Jacksonville Vein Specialists, Dr. Mark A. Matey and the team offer two varicose vein treatment options, and each can make quick work of your problematic vein.
If you’re exploring your treatment options for varicose veins, here’s a closer look at what you can expect during and after each of our leg vein treatments.
Shutting down your vein
When we address a varicose vein, our aim is to shut down the vein entirely. Rest assured, the veins we’re dealing with are what we call superficial veins, which are only responsible for about 10% of the blood flow in your legs. The heavy lifting, circulation-wise, is accomplished by veins deeper inside your legs.
What limited blood that does flow through the varicose vein is rerouted to healthier vessels after the procedure.
There are two ways we can eliminate varicose veins:
1. Endovenous ablation
We’ve equipped ourselves with an innovative technology that allows us to insert a catheter (thin tube) into the varicose vein to release radiofrequency energy. This energy heats and destroys the vein, causing it to close off. To guide the catheter accurately, we use ultrasound imaging.
For your comfort, before your endovenous ablation, we administer a local anesthetic at the site where we insert the catheter. Aside from this small entry point, you shouldn’t feel any discomfort, and we perform the procedure in minutes.
2. Sclerotherapy
Another approach for varicose veins is sclerotherapy, a technique in which we inject a sclerosing agent, such as foam, into the vein. This agent seals the vein, after which it shrivels up and is reabsorbed by your body.
We can use a topical anesthetic at the site of the injection for your comfort, and you may feel some mild burning when we inject the agent. This side effect usually goes away very quickly.
After your varicose veins procedure
Whichever leg vein treatment you choose, your results will be gradual as your treated vein shuts down and your body reabsorbs it. Afterward, you’ll be pleased to find smooth skin reemerging where the varicose vein once popped through.
You can speed up this process by encouraging better circulation in your lower limbs with compression stockings and elevating your legs when you’re at rest.
For 2-3 days after your vein treatment, you should avoid lingering in warm water (no baths or hot tubs), and we recommend that you keep your legs out of the sun.
As you can see, our varicose veins treatments are quick and have short recovery times, making them easy procedures to accommodate in your busy life.
If you have more questions about what to expect during and after your varicose vein treatments, please contact either of our two offices in Jacksonville, Florida, at 904-423-1925 or book an appointment online.