With Memorial Day and the official kick-off of summer around the corner, people are becoming increasingly aware of how their legs look in summer attire. It is much easier to conceal bulging varicose veins and spider veins under the long pants of winter, but the constant reminder of the presence of those leg veins can send people running to day spas or laser vein centers to have the veins treated. While it is important to have self-confidence and self-esteem in your summer clothes, it is important to remember that varicose veins and leg spider veins are a symptom of a larger health problem.

The underlying cause of these veins is chronic venous insufficiency, a progressive disease that can lead to serious and even life-threatening conditions if not treated properly. Because of the medical necessity of treating these veins properly, varicose vein treatment is typically covered by insurance. If you have prominent leg veins, with or without other symptoms such as leg heaviness, edema (leg swelling), achy or tired legs, or more severe symptoms such as leg ulcers or DVTs, you should seek out a physician who specializes in the vasculature and who can conduct a proper ultrasound diagnosis of the underlying cause of your varicose veins.

A Vascular Surgeon is well-equipped to handle the diagnosis and the treatment of these leg veins. Laser vein centers typically use surface lasers to treat only the superficial appearance of the veins, resulting in recurrence and providing only temporary visual relief. If the chronic venous insufficiency is not addressed, these veins will return and the disease will continue to progress to more painful and more bulging veins. Endovenous laser therapy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure with very little to no downtime.  New modalities, such as the VenaCure EVLT 1470 laser, have been proven to cause very little pain and can help prevent a lifetime of chronic symptoms.  Because this is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, it should be performed by a Vascular Surgeon in an office setting that is established for the procedure. 

This ensures the complete safety and efficacy of the vein treatment.  In addition to endovenous treatments, vascular surgeons can also perform injection sclerotherapy into smaller, less tortuous spider veins.  This procedure is often offered as an adjunctive treatment with endovenous therapy, or it can be offered as a stand-alone procedure or series of sessions to immediately collapse spider veins, resulting in an immediate improvement in the appearance of these veins. Don’t delay in taking care of your legs – and your health! Why wait to look AND feel better?