While varicose veins look bad, spider veins and larger varicosities can also lead to leg pain, sores, ulcers, night cramps, ankle swelling and leg heaviness that patients do not know to attribute to them. Although it is estimated that varicose veins affect about three out of four women, many have opted in the past to avoid treatment because of the pain, side effects and scarring associated with traditional treatments.
According to Joshua Fox, M.D., a leading dermatologist and founder/ director of Advanced Dermatology, two new approaches -- Sclerotherapy and Laser Therapy -- are leading more and more patients to pursue relief from varicose veins. "These breakthroughs are a boon to those who have shunned traditional surgery for varicose veins," Dr. Fox says, "But they also have created new questions in the minds of patients about how each process works, and which procedures are appropriate for their specific conditions."
What is Sclerotherapy?
A solution is injected into the veins, causing them to collapse, turn to scar tissue, and eventually become absorbed by the body. "Sclerotherapy eliminates the need for invasive surgery and the resulting scars and recovery time," Dr. Fox says. "However, it usually takes up to six months for the sclerosed veins to disappear completely."
Laser treatment
This involves the application of light changing to heat through the skin via the laser to the affected vein and/or valve. The latest in laser treatment uses
an endoscopic laser, which results in little or no scarring or recurrence of the varicosities. The relief from pain or tenderness occurs usually in one day.
Which treatment is right for you?
Dr. Fox notes that, while every case is unique and should be treated according to an individualized protocol by the patient's physician; there are some guidelines that can clarify whether Sclerotherapy, Laser treatment, or a combination of the two is most appropriate:
The size of the vein -- Spider veins are usually a network of hair-thin veins  that look like a spider web, a tree with branches, or a starburst. They usually respond well to Sclerotherapy, while larger varicose veins that appear deeper in the skin tend to respond better with laser therapy. The location of the vein -- Spider veins are usually found on the legs, a result of myriad factors including diet and fitness levels, hormonal changes
like in pregnancy, heredity and a sedentary lifestyle or job. But sometimes, these ultra thin veins appear on the face. "Facial varicosities are usually very thin, and very close to the skin's surface, and so we would be likely to use a laser, or a combination of Sclerotherapy and Laser therapy, for those cases," Dr. Fox notes. The level of discomfort the veins are causing -- "Treatment of varicose veins is rarely considered strictly a cosmetic surgery," Dr. Fox explains. "There are many lifestyle changes we recommend first to alleviate the symptoms of varicosities, from wearing tight stockings over the affected area to undertaking a regular exercise routine. It's only when these measures fail, and the patient is experiencing discomfort, that we take a minimally invasive surgical approach." |
