Varicose Veins
Varicose veins affect over 25 million Americans including half of all Americans over 50 and 2/3 of women over 60 years of age. The condition is seen most frequently with women who have had multiple children and also with those with occupations that include long periods of standing- like flight attendants, nurses, and retail clerks.

Most people will notice unsightly, ropy-looking and swollen veins in their legs and pain and fatigue, or heaviness, in their legs. If left untreated, the condition worsens over time. Varicose veins are actually diseased with superficial venous reflux disease. This means the valves that normally open and close to allow blood flow don’t work properly, resulting a build-up of blood in the diseased vessels.

To treat this condition, a small device is inserted and then pulled through the vein, delivering bursts of energy through the catheter’s heating element to heat and contract the vein walls. With the primary vessel sealed, the body automatically re-establishes healthier circulation and the varicosity symptoms quickly dissipate.

Spider Veins
Spider veins (telangiectasias) are small purple to red blood vessels often visible on the leg, ankle or foot. Occasionally, spider veins will appear on the face. The cause is unknown, but heredity plays a strong role in the development of this condition. Spider veins are usually pain free, progressive, increase in number and visibility with age.

The oldest and most common treatment for spider veins on the legs is sclerotherapy. This involves injecting a sclerosing agent into the veins, which irritates the vessels, causing them to scar and become less noticeable. Often, the veins do not actually go away, but become less visible because of the reaction around the walls of the vein. The injections may sting a bit, especially if saline is used, but the discomfort does not last long.

More than one treatment is typically required, and since this is a progressive condition, new spider veins can appear over time. Treatment every few years helps keep the veins looking their best.