You used to love to wear shorts or skirts, but lately, your legs have been marked by bulging blue and purple veins that have become a sense of dread, especially during the summer months. I am talking about varicose veins—and you are not alone.

Varicose veins affect both men and women of all ages. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Early stages of venous reflux may occur in approximately 25% of women and 15% of men. Later stages of venous reflux, such as venous ulceration, may occur in 5% of the population.” Varicose veins occur when the valves of the saphenous vein collapse and stop functioning properly. This loss of valve function causes a backflow accumulation of blood in the saphenous veins, which leads to these unsightly bulges. 

Obesity, family history, pregnancy, a history of DVT, or having a job that requires you to be standing for long periods can contribute to developing varicose veins. If the problem of bulging veins is not very painful and is caught early, there is a treatment called Varithena that can help alleviate varicose veins, sometimes after just one treatment. Varithena is a prescription microfoam that is inserted into the problem vein, allowing the vein to close and the blood to be redirected to healthy veins. This type of treatment is used for less severe cases of varicose veins where there is little or no pain.

For more severe cases, where severe to moderate pain is interfering with your quality of life, there are procedures that can fix this problem. A catheter-based endovenous thermal ablation (EVTL) utilizing radio frequency or a laser can be used to address varicose vein problems. This is a procedure that uses an ultrasound to guide the catheter to close the faulty vein either through radiofrequency ablation or laser ablation. Ablation is minimally invasive that uses the heat energy from radio waves or the laser to heat and close faulty veins. This procedure requires a local anesthetic, not general anesthesia. “Radiofrequency ablation tends to have fewer side effects,” making it the preferred method for vascular surgeons like Dr. David Nabi. 

If you are suffering from varicose veins, get evaluated at NewportVascular.com to see which procedure and course of treatment would work best for you. You do not have to suffer in silence! There are treatments that will restore your veins back to health.