Varicose veins are extremely common among many segments of the population, with the overweight and elderly being the largest group suffering from this condition. Veins are blood vessels responsible for sending deoxygenated blood back to the heart. When they fail because of a faulty valve, they become varicose veins or spider veins.
What are Varicose Veins?
A varicose vein is a dysfunctional vein with faulty one-way valves. These valves normally work to ensure that blood flows in only one direction: to your heart. Dysfunctional valves lead to blood pooling in the problem vein and distending it, leading to the ropey, twisted appearance that is so familiar to those suffering from this condition.
How Can Varicose Veins Be Treated?
There are a number of treatments available for varicose and spider veins. The type that is appropriate for you and your needs can be determined at your initial consultation.
Sclerotherapy Veins Treatment
Sclerotherapy is an older treatment for varicose veins that is still effective for a large majority of patients. It involves the destruction of the dysfunctional vein and the rerouting of the blood that once flowed through it into neighboring blood vessels.
We use a special chemical solution and inject it into your varicose vein, which causes its walls to collapse and destroy it. Your body will eventually absorb the remains of the varicose vein and reroute remaining blood into surrounding blood vessels. It may be recommended that you wear some type of compression garment after your treatment.
Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA)
EVLA is a more modern treatment for varicose veins in which we direct a laser to transmit thermal energy beneath your skin into the varicose vein. Like sclerotherapy, this causes the vein walls to collapse, which leads to the destruction of the varicose vein. Your body will gradually absorb the material that once made up the vein, and it will reroute blood into healthy blood vessels.
You should receive excellent results after only one treatment. Your procedure can be performed at our office, and you can resume your normal activities immediately after your EVLA procedure. You will need to wear a compression bandage for a few days but should remain active with no additional bed rest.
Would I Make a Good Candidate for a Varicose Veins Procedure?
Varicose veins treatments like sclerotherapy and EVLA have helped thousands of people remove unsightly varicose veins and spider veins. If you would like to receive more information about these procedures, please reach out and make an appointment with Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. At our convenient location in Alpharetta, GA, our caring and knowledgeable team of professionals will be pleased to explain your options in full and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!