Procedures for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins bulge with blood because they are not circulating blood correctly. They can develop anywhere in the body but are most common in the legs and thighs. Varicose veins are common--10 percent to 15 percent of men and 20 percent to 25 percent of women get them. Although most people are concerned about the veins' cosmetic appearance, they can cause fatigue, swelling, and aching. There are many ways to treat varicose veins. Some are as simple as maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and elevating the legs.

Treatments

• More-involved treatments are determined based on the veins' size, location, and symptoms. Some treatments involve medical procedures for varicose veins.

  Wearing support hosiery or compression stockings reduces the pressure and blood in the veins. The main drawback to this treatment is that the blood returns to the veins shortly after the stockings are removed.

  Sclerotherapy injects the vein with a liquid that makes it turn to scar tissue and eventually disappear. This procedure works best for smaller varicose veins, and usually more than one treatment is required. It isn't ideal for patients who cannot walk, because walking helps circulate the blood into other veins.

  Laser therapy produces results similar to those of sclerotherapy. It requires multiple treatments. The laser destroys the small blood vessels in the surface of the skin.

  Laser surgery is used for bigger veins. It involves putting a probe into the vein and closing it through heat with the laser. Laser surgery is less painful, and has a faster recovery time, than vein stripping.

  When symptoms of the veins are more than cosmetic, vein stripping or removal of the varicose veins might be an option. Vein stripping forces blood to flow through healthy veins. Veins can also be tied off so blood no longer flows through them.

Side Effects

• Removing varicose veins surgically requires anesthesia. This could cause nausea and vomiting, and comes with the risk of an infection. Surgery occasionally causes blood clots. Sclerotherapy can cause allergic reactions, depending on what substance is injected. The skin can also be burned if the needle doesn't go into the vein correctly.

  Sclerotherapy can cause blood clots, but that is rare. Varicose veins are more likely to return after sclerotherapy than after surgery.

  Laser treatments can cause scarring and changes in the color of the skin.