Is surgery your only option for varicose veins?

By middle age, nearly everyone has some type of problematic veins – spider, reticular, or varicose. You may mistakenly believe that surgery is the only treatment available. However, with modern technologies and time tested minimally invasive treatments, most veins can be resolved without surgery.

Understanding veins

The average adult body contains about 100,000 miles of arteries, blood vessels, capillaries, and veins. Some bring freshly oxygenated blood to organs, while others return deoxygenated blood from extremities to the heart. One-way valves in veins keep blood flowing the correct direction. As we age, vein walls weaken, causing these valves to malfunction. Blood may backflow and pool, causing veins to enlarge.

Types of abnormal veins:

• Spider veins are a fine meshwork of visible red, purple, and brown capillaries near the surface of the skin. They are generally not raised or painful, but are a cosmetic issue. Spider veins are common on legs, and may develop on the face as well.
• Reticular veins are blue or purple, and a bit larger. Known as “feeder veins,” they are usually found on the ankles, legs, and backs of thighs.
• Varicose veins are large, twisting, ropey veins that often cause discomfort. Untreated varicose veins can lead to a serious condition called chronic venous insufficiency.

Non-surgical treatment options

Dr. Adam Maddox offers several non-surgical and non- or minimally-invasive vein treatment options at Thrive. In many cases, superficial veins can be successfully resolved with laser therapy. Light energy targets pigmentation in spider veins, destroying them without harm to surrounding tissues. Reticular feeder veins may need to be treated first, with sclerotherapy. A sclerosing solution is injected into veins, causing them to close and die, while blood is re-routed to healthy veins. Lesser varicose veins may also be treated in this manner.