Varicose Veins

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins show through your skin in shades of blue, red, or purple and may form unsightly, twisted coils. They tend to appear on the legs but can come up elsewhere.

The most common cause of varicose veins is chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). CVI is a disorder of the circulation in which the valves in your leg veins stop working properly.

The purpose of these valves is to stop blood from flowing down your legs when it should be going back to your heart. As blood pumps up your leg, the valves should open, allow it through, and then close again.

If you have CVI, the valves don't close properly, so blood can trickle back down the vein, aided by gravity. The resulting pools of blood form the visible varicose veins.

Why would I get varicose veins?

Vein disease and varicose veins can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race, but are most likely to develop from middle age onward. The effects of aging on your body mean many tissues lose their former strength and start to deteriorate, including your veins and leg muscles.

Other factors that increase your risk of developing varicose veins include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Standing or sitting for prolonged periods
• Lack of exercise
• Smoking
• Family history
• Pregnancy
• Being female

While the appearance of varicose veins makes diagnosis seemingly straightforward, having an ultrasound is the only sure way of confirming vein disease and assessing which veins need treatment.

What symptoms do varicose veins cause?

Varicose veins can cause a variety of symptoms in addition to their unsightliness, such as:

• Itching
• Fatigue
• Burning
• Leg pain
• Tingling
• Heaviness
• Soreness
• Throbbing
• Cramping
• Night cramps
• Restless legs
• Swollen legs
• Discoloration of the skin around the veins

Without treatment, varicose veins can lead to the formation of ulcers – open, non-healing wounds on your lower limbs. In turn, untreated ulcers can become infected and deteriorate so severely that the only solution is amputation.

How are varicose veins treated?

Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, uses the most advanced varicose vein treatments available, including:

VenaSeal™ Closure System

VenaSeal™ is a product that your provider uses to glue the walls of a diseased vein together, preventing blood flow.

ClosureFast™ Procedure

ClosureFast™ uses radiofrequency energy to cause the vein walls to collapse and completely block the diseased vein.

Both treatments close off varicose veins so no blood can flow through them, meaning it has to find a new route. Once the blood starts flowing along healthy veins, it can no longer form pools, and the appearance of the veins improves considerably. 

The treated veins disappear in time as your body absorbs them, so you have smooth, blemish-free, and healthy legs.

If you've noticed varicose veins developing or your legs are feeling heavy and tired, call Vascular Surgery Associates, LLC, or book an appointment online today.