FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What is sclerotherapy?
A chemical is injected into the vein to destroy its lining, causing the vein to gradually be absorbed by the body. This method works particularly well for smaller veins.
What is laser treatment?
Laser therapy uses amplified light to selectively target tissues based on color absorption, sparing surrounding tissue, and can produce temperatures as high as 1,200 degrees in the body.
How do you treat larger veins?
Laser treatment is used to treat larger veins.
What are the permanent treatment options for varicose veins or CVI?
Because most venous disease affects the superficial veins, these veins can be removed, eliminating the source of reflux.
What are the short-term treatments for varicose veins or CVI?
Regular exercise, wearing compression stockings, elevating the legs, and maintaining a healthy weight.
How is venous reflux diagnosed?
Your doctor will review your medical history, examine your veins, and perform a duplex ultrasound.
What is Duplex Ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses sound waves that pass through your tissues and are reflected back to a computer, which maps the anatomy and the direction of blood flow. The procedure is painless and highly accurate.
How is vein stripping performed?
Surgical removal of veins, which is uncommon in modern practice.
Why am I developing varicose veins?
Varicose veins often run in families. When one parent is affected, the likelihood of developing them is about 50%, and if both parents have them, the risk can climb to nearly 89%.
Age is another key factor — the older we get, the more frequently varicose veins appear, and they tend to become more troublesome over time. Women are particularly vulnerable, facing about five times the risk compared to men. Pregnancy and weight gain place additional strain on the veins, further raising the chances.
Jobs or lifestyles that involve standing for long periods also contribute to the problem. In fact, as many as three in ten people will experience varicose veins at some point. Fortunately, effective treatments are widely available, making them manageable despite their prevalence.
What does chronic venous insufficiency mean?
The venous system is made up of two main networks: the superficial veins and the deep veins. Superficial veins sit just beneath the skin within the fatty tissue. They have thin, less supported walls, which makes them more vulnerable to damage when they are exposed to excess pressure.
In contrast, deep veins lie beneath the muscles. The surrounding muscle tissue provides strong structural support, allowing these veins to tolerate much higher pressures without difficulty.
Problems arise when the valves—tiny flaps that normally keep blood moving upward toward the heart—stop functioning properly. When these valves fail, the higher pressure from the deep veins is transmitted to the weaker superficial veins. This causes blood to flow backward down the leg, away from the heart, a process known as venous reflux.
The resulting increase in venous pressure damages the superficial veins, leading to varicose veins, and also affects the skin, causing inflammation, brown discoloration, and eventually ulceration (breaks in the skin).
The good news is that most cases of chronic venous insufficiency stem from problems in the superficial veins, which are usually straightforward to treat.