Varicose veins are large distended blood vessels full of accumulated blood. They generally bulge out of the surface of the skin and can be described to look like tree trunks or as a twisted mass of ropes.
Varicose veins look pretty terrible and patients of varicose veins often report that it makes them feel self-conscious and induces social anxiety. However, varicose veins are also medically dangerous because they’re caused by an underlying circulatory disorder known as chronic venous insufficiency.
Our veins contain vein valves — these are flaps that act like one-way doors to facilitate blood circulation to the heart. When these vein valves collapse or malfunction, your blood may flow backward due to gravity and accumulate in your leg veins. Over time, accumulated blood leads to the dilation of vein walls and the formation of varicose veins.
If you don’t treat vein disease immediately, it eventually leads to serious complications like profuse bleeding from varicose veins, skin diseases, skin discoloration, leg ulcers, and deep vein thrombosis. Since vein disease is a chronic condition, you should treat it at the earliest stage possible.
But what can you do for varicose veins? How do you cure varicose veins? Well, that’s where a varicose vein specialist comes in. In this article, we discuss what does a varicose vein specialist do and what is the cost of varicose vein treatment.
Vein Doctors — How do they Get Rid of Varicose Veins?
Vein doctors come from various walks of life — they may be hospitalists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, or any other type of doctor — as long as they’ve been trained in vein treatments.
When looking for vein doctors, you should look out for board-certified vein doctors. They are the most experienced vein doctors and board certification is a guarantor of quality so you know you’re in good hands.
When you go to a board-certified vein doctor, they will first physically examine your spider vein and varicose vein. They’ll carefully examine your symptoms and discuss your medical history. Next, the vein doctor will run an imaging test like a Doppler Ultrasound — this will help them visualize the blood flow in your veins and determine if you have vein disease.
Once the vein doctor has finished their examination and diagnosed the root cause of your spider vein and varicose vein, they’ll formulate a treatment plan for you. The following is a brief overview of the most effective vein treatment procedures.
Radiofrequency Ablation Varicose Vein Removal Treatment
Radiofrequency ablation is a varicose vein removal treatment in which the vein doctor uses heat energy or thermal energy to collapse the diseased saphenous vein and restore blood circulation to the heart.
During the procedure, the vein doctor will create an incision on the surface of your skin. They’ll insert a catheter through the incision till it reaches your saphenous vein. Once the catheter is in place, the vein doctor will activate it and collapse the diseased vein using thermal energy. The accumulated blood will reroute to healthier veins and the diseased vein will eventually get absorbed by the body.
Endovenous Laser Ablation Varicose Vein Removal Treatment
Endovenous laser ablation is a varicose vein removal treatment that involves the use of laser energy to collapse the affected saphenous vein that’s responsible for the spider veins and varicose veins.
During the procedure, the vein doctor will create an incision on the surface of your skin and insert a catheter hooked to a laser fiber. Once the catheter and laser fiber are lodged in the saphenous vein, the vein doctor will activate them to generate laser energy and destroy the vein. This procedure, however, causes a little more post-procedural discomfort than the aforementioned radiofrequency ablation.
VenaSeal Varicose Vein Removal Injection
VenaSeal is a varicose vein removal injection with which the vein doctor seals your diseased saphenous vein using a medical adhesive or vein glue. Once the saphenous vein’s walls are sealed, the accumulated blood reroutes to healthier veins and the diseased vein gradually gets absorbed by the body.
Sclerotherapy — Best Medicine for Spider Veins
Sclerotherapy is a procedure in which the vein doctor uses sclerosant — the best medicine for spider veins — to fuse the walls of the spider veins. The diseased veins turn into scar tissues and eventually get absorbed by the body.
This procedure only treats the symptomatic spider veins and not the underlying vein disease. As such, sclerotherapy is considered to be a cosmetic treatment.
Varicose Vein Treatment Cost
Varicose vein treatment cost varies based on the condition of your varicose veins, the presence of underlying vein disease, and the varicose vein treatment you choose. However, roughly speaking, the cost of varicose vein treatment may range from $0 (if it’s covered by insurance) to $3000 or more (if you don’t get insurance coverage).
Radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser ablation are generally covered by insurance if you have venous insufficiency. Sclerotherapy is a cosmetic procedure so it’s not generally covered by insurance. But if you have symptomatic spider veins, insurance may cover your treatment. Ask your vein doctor about it.
VenaSeal is one of the most effective varicose vein removal treatments but it’s not covered by insurance because it has only recently been approved by the FDA and is still quite new.
Schedule Varicose Operation Today
Vein Treatment Clinic is one of the best clinics for varicose vein treatment and we have some of the country’s best board-certified vein specialists. If you have varicose veins, it’s likely that you’re also suffering from vein disease so you must seek vein treatment immediately. For more information, please schedule your varicose operation today.
