What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are twisted, blue, or purple veins that develop just under your skin. While any vein in your body can be affected, they most often occur in your legs. Varicose veins are common, but they tend to affect women more often than men.
You may have an increased risk of developing varicose veins if you’re overweight or you spend a lot of time on your feet.
What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins develop when the valves in your vein that help control blood flow become damaged or weak. Your veins help to return the blood back to your heart and lungs so it can be reoxygenated. The valves help to force the blood forward and prevent the blood from flowing backward.
If the valves become damaged, they can allow the backflow of blood, a condition known as venous reflux, that leads to twisted, purple veins.
Varicose veins are rarely a serious health concern, but they can contribute to the development of non-healing leg ulcers or the development of blood clots. If you have varicose veins, they should be evaluated and monitored by your physician at Florida Lakes Surgical to assess your risk of complications.
What are the symptoms of varicose veins?
For some patients, varicose veins don’t cause any symptoms, so they’re primarily a cosmetic concern. If you do develop symptoms, you may experience:
- Itching
- Fatigue
- Burning
- Leg Pain
- Tingling
- Heaviness
- Soreness
- Throbbing
- Cramping
- Night cramps
- Restless legs
- Swollen legs
- Discoloration of the skin around the veins
Whether your symptoms are mild, severe, or non-existent, you can develop complications. Untreated varicose veins may cause blood clots, a non-healing wound called a venous stasis ulcer, or bleeding if the vein ruptures.
How are varicose veins treated?
If you don’t like the appearance of varicose veins, the team at Florida Lakes Surgical can offer several options to vanquish unsightly veins. Initially, your provider may recommend conservative home-care methods, such as wearing compression stockings and elevating your feet when possible to support blood flow and prevent the backflow that causes varicose veins to develop.
However, if your varicose veins are severe or contributing other health issues, the team at Florida Lakes Surgical offers several treatments to get rid of your veins, including:
- Sclerotherapy with Varithena®
- Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy (venous ultrasound)
- Radiofrequency ablation
- VenaSeal™ medical adhesive
Your Florida Lakes Surgical provider performs your vein treatment using real-time imaging that allows them to view the blood vessels and guide the medical device through the vein.
Though each procedure uses a different technique, they all eliminate varicose veins the same way: They cause the blood vessels to collapse and turn into scar tissue that’s eventually eliminated from your body.
Call Florida Lakes Surgical today or schedule a consultation online to talk to the team about how they can help you get rid of your varicose veins.
