While
varicose veins look bad, spider veins and larger
varicosities can also lead to leg pain, sores, ulcers, night
cramps, ankle swelling and leg heaviness that patients do
not know to attribute to them. Although it is estimated that
varicose
veins affect about three out of four women, many have
opted in the past to avoid treatment because of the pain,
side effects and
scarring
associated with traditional treatments.
According
to Joshua Fox, M.D., a leading dermatologist and founder/
director of Advanced Dermatology, two new approaches --
Sclerotherapy and
Laser Therapy -- are leading more and more patients to
pursue relief from
varicose
veins. "These breakthroughs are a boon to those who have
shunned traditional surgery for
varicose veins," Dr. Fox says, "But they also have
created new questions in the minds of patients about how
each process works, and which procedures are appropriate for
their specific conditions."
What is Sclerotherapy?
A
solution is injected into the veins, causing them to
collapse, turn to scar tissue, and eventually become
absorbed by the body. "Sclerotherapy eliminates the need for
invasive surgery and the resulting scars and
recovery time,"
Dr. Fox says. "However, it usually takes up to six months
for the sclerosed veins to disappear completely."
Laser treatment
This
involves the application of light changing to heat through
the skin via the laser to the affected vein and/or valve.
The latest in
laser treatment uses
an endoscopic laser, which results in little or no scarring
or recurrence of the varicosities. The relief from pain or
tenderness occurs usually in one day.
Which treatment is right for you?
Dr. Fox
notes that, while every case is unique and should be treated
according to an individualized protocol by the patient's
physician; there are some guidelines that can clarify
whether Sclerotherapy, Laser treatment, or a combination of
the two is most appropriate:
The size of the vein --
Spider veins are
usually a network of hair-thin veins
 that look like a spider
web, a tree with branches, or a starburst. They
usually respond well to Sclerotherapy, while larger varicose
veins that appear deeper in the skin tend to respond better
with laser therapy.
The location of the vein -- Spider veins are
usually found on the legs, a result of myriad factors
including
diet and
fitness levels, hormonal changes
like in
pregnancy, heredity and a sedentary lifestyle or
job. But sometimes, these ultra thin veins appear on the
face. "Facial varicosities are usually very thin, and very
close to the skin's surface, and so we would be likely to
use a laser, or a combination of Sclerotherapy and Laser
therapy, for those cases," Dr. Fox notes.
The level of discomfort the veins are causing
-- "Treatment of varicose veins is rarely considered
strictly a cosmetic surgery," Dr. Fox explains. "There are
many
lifestyle changes we recommend first to alleviate the
symptoms of varicosities, from wearing tight
stockings over
the affected area to undertaking a
regular exercise routine.
It's only when these measures fail, and the patient is
experiencing discomfort, that we take a minimally invasive
surgical approach." |
