Leg veins become enlarged when the blood pressure against their delicate walls overcomes their natural elasticity. This increase in pressure is caused by many factors: standing for long periods of time, pregnancy, damage to large deep veins with changes in the normal blood flow patterns, etc.
Family history and hormonal changes also have an important role and over time, veins slowly start to widen and become visible as dark or bluish-reddish lines under the skin. When this happens, it represents mainly a cosmetic problem, causing some degree of embarrassment that may affect social interactions.
Symptoms such as heavy, aching or tired legs slowly begin to appear. After a period of time that may take from months to years, the overlying skin starts to thicken, feeling rough to the touch. Itching, burning and pain of varying intensity may also be present.
This situation may progress to localized changes in skin color, with light to dark brown spots. At this late stage, enlarged veins also known as "varices", can rupture with minor trauma, or even without it, with collection of blood under the skin and formation of bruises.
Without proper early treatment, because the blood circulation is so compromised, the skin will eventually break out and form an ulcer.
Vein Treatment Fees: $280 - $380 per session,
depending on location, size and treatment modalities used.
What Are Spider Veins?
Small "spider" veins are usually the first manifestation of increased venous pressure. They look like short fine lines, in clusters or a web-like maze. They appear in the thighs, legs, ankles and feet, in men or women of any age, but most frequently affect women of childbearing age and older. Family history of the problem and aging increase one’s tendencies to develop spider and varicose veins.
How Do We Treat Them?
Several methods can be used to remove spider and varicose veins, including sclerotherapy, microsurgery and surgery.
Do vein treatments cause pain? No, although patients with many large dilated veins may feel some temporary mild discomfort during prolonged treatment sessions. This is avoided by special cooling procedures on the skin before and during treatments. For more information regarding vein treatments, click here: "Vein Treatments"
Small dilated leg veins are generally considered a cosmetic problem. Larger dilated veins —such as varices, especially those causing skin changes, do require medical treatment.
Long varicose veins are treated with surgery and require a one- or two-day stay in a hospital; some patients prefer office-based treatments for these large veins, which could be done safely in several sessions.
Spider veins can not be removed with surgery; they are treated with sclerotherapy, using a very fine, hair-thin needle to inject a solution directly into them. This solution irritates their lining causing it to swell and the blood to clot. The spider veins then turn into very small, fine scar tissue that is reabsorbed over time.
After sclerotherapy treatments, the leg is wrapped with a bandage that should be kept on from a few hours to one day, depending on the size and number of treated veins. These special skin-colored bandages do not interfere in any manner with our patients' normal activities.
Bandages cause the vein walls to stick together, helping the natural healing process. Walking is encouraged after treatments to stimulate the circulation on the lower extremities.
Do These Procedures Hurt?
Most procedures do not cause any pain. The amount of discomfort —if any, a patient might feel during treatments depends on individual sensitivity, type of treatments and area treated.
During sclerotherapy treatments some patients might feel a very mild localized itching sensation, lasting only a few seconds.
The treatment of larger dilated veins may require the use of a local anesthetic, rendering the procedure painless.
Are There Side Effects to These Treatments?
Sclerotherapy, microsurgery and in-office surgery are very simple and effective treatments for enlarged veins, with virtually no side-effects or complications when properly applied by experienced professionals.
Although these treatments do eliminate enlarged veins, we have to remember that most venous diseases are progressive in nature and no treatments can prevent the appearance of new varicose or spider veins in the future.
Sometimes, new veins are formed to replace those that have been removed. Injected veins may also reopen: this is a normal occurrence.
At McLean Institute, the best results are obtained with proper diagnosis and careful choice of treatments by skillful professionals with years of experience treating all types of vascular problems.
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