Laser & Venefit ... Which Works Best for Varicose Vein Treatment

Interestingly, patients tend to equate anything "laser" with being painless, effective and high quality. In the world of varicose veins, this is not so accurate. Patients with symptoms of aching and heaviness coupled with bulging leg veins have backflow in feeder veins that cause elevated pressure within the surface veins.Treating this condition consists of heating the vein internally using a small wire, which leads to shrinkage and eventual absorption of the vein by your body.

The best treatment available is the Venefit Procedure, formerly known as VNUS Closure, which was introduced in 1999. Advances in this technology have led to the least painful method of successful varicose vein treatment, in contrast to laser, which has been shown to cause more pain and bruising. In fact, I saw a Leesburg, Virginia patient who had his left leg treated with laser a few months ago. He came to CVL because he felt the laser procedure was too painful and wanted another option. I treated his right leg with Venefit two weeks ago and he is quite vocal that the Venefit treatment was much better and resulted in a quicker recovery.

When we see a patient for an initial consultation, we perform a full evaluation and often suggest patients try support hose to alleviate the symptoms. While we know these stocking are not curative, most health insurance companies will require patients to try them before it will authorize payment for a vein procedure.

A duplex scan will follow, giving us a roadmap of the entire venous system. Based on the scan, we can most accurately give advice about the best treatment option(s). Closure of the saphenous vein, the most common treatment for varicose veins, works best with the Venefit Procedure, which is done in the office under local anesthesia and allows immediate return to normal activity.

When seeking advice about your varicose veins, be sure to find an experienced physician who is a member of the American Venous Forum or a Diplomate of the American Board of Phlebology. They will provide the best recommendations for treatment.