The Road to a Quick Recovery

One of the most common questions we receive from patients regarding varicose vein treatments revolves around recovery. Specifically, “how long until I’m back on my feet, resuming my everyday life?” The answer: Not long at all! Of course, we see a lot of different legs with varying degrees of venous disease, so individual treatments vary, but luckily with modern treatment technology, all treatments are minimally invasive and have little to no downtime. What treatments do we offer?

Sclerotherapy is the treatment of choice for spider veins and/ or small varicose veins in the ankle area. This treatment is done in the office in less than 30 minutes and has zero downtime. A tiny needle is used to deliver medication that causes the vein to spasm and close. The body eventually absorbs the closed non-functional vessel. Compression hose are typically recommended until the next day. Minimal bruising can occur, so plan to rid your legs of ugly spider veins a while before that big event!

VNUS Closure (RF Thermal Ablation) is one of many options available for the treatment of small to large varicose veins; leg swelling due to chronic, symptomatic venous insufficiency; and venous ulcerations (leg wounds). This treatment is done in the office in 30 minutes or less. The skin is numbed and an IV is started in the leg vein needing treatment. A tiny treatment catheter is advanced into the vein which heats up when controlled to do so. The heat causes the non-functional, diseased vein to shrink and close, eliminating further damage to the leg and improving circulation by rerouting blood to hundreds of other healthy functioning veins. Compression hose are worn for two to three days following treatment. Normal activity is allowed with the exception of vigorous exercise until the fourth day. There is little to no discomfort during or after treatment. We love this treatment!

Varithena (Chemical Ablation) is another common option for the treatment of small to large varicose veins, leg swelling due to chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulcerations (leg wounds). This treatment is done in the office in 30 minutes or less. The skin is numbed and a small IV is started in the leg. A tiny treatment catheter is advanced into the vein which will deliver a foam medication that causes the nonfunctional vein to spasm and close, eliminating further damage to the leg and improving circulation by rerouting blood to other healthy functioning veins. Compression hose are worn for one to three days following treatment. Normal activity is allowed with exception of vigorous exercise until the fourth day. There is little to no discomfort during or after treatment. Another one of our favorite treatments!

Phlebectomy (Surface Vein Removal) is a treatment that is sometimes needed after an ablation. Surface leg veins that are large will often regress after an ablation is performed. Sometimes the surface veins remain visible however and require a second simple step to get to the finish line of having that beautiful, healthy new leg. With phlebectomy, the skin around the veins is numbed and a tiny nick is made in the skin. Through the nick in the skin, a tiny special instrument is inserted which can remove the vein through the small opening. This is repeated along the course of the vein as needed. There are no stitches, no scars, and no more bulging veins! This treatment can cause bruising so plan ahead. Compression hose are worn for two to four days. Patients may resume normal activity after treatment with the exception of heavy lifting and exertive exercise. Some patients report minimal tenderness where the veins were removed, that resolves with Motrin. Results are amazing!

VenaSeal (Ablation via Medical Adhesive) is our newest magical treatment for small to large varicose veins and venous ulcerations (leg wounds). This treatment is also done in the office in 30 minutes or less. The skin is numbed and an IV is started in the leg vein needing treatment. A tiny treatment catheter is advanced into the vein which delivers a small ribbon of sterile medical adhesive that immediately seals the nonfunctional vein closed. There is no downtime for this procedure and you can get back to work and full exercise right away. Compression hose are not required after this treatment, but sometimes are recommended for two to three days if your varicose veins are large. You are not a candidate for this treatment if you are allergic to tape or have sensitivities to band aids. This treatment is quickly becoming a patient favorite.

Improving your health shouldn’t be an inconvenience. Today’s treatments are in and out in under an hour. Most insurance plans including Medicare cover varicose vein treatments too.

Please call us at 866-695-8346 if you would like to schedule your first appointment or have any questions. We promise to be there for you every step of the way.