Varicose Veins Specialist

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins describe damaged veins that become noticeably enlarged due to backed-up blood and weakened blood vessel walls. This enlargement typically affects the veins in your legs and is the result of inefficient valves.

In a healthy vein, the valve opens to allow blood to flow through then closes to prevent blood from flowing backward. When the valve isn’t working properly, blood can flow back through the vein and pool in certain areas that cause the enlargement.

Your risk for varicose veins increases with age and due to contributing factors like:

• Obesity
• Family history
• Deep vein thrombosis

Pregnancy and childbirth are also a common trigger of varicose veins.

Why do varicose veins form?

It’s true that any of the veins in your body can become varicose. However, this chronic issue tends to affect the veins in your lower legs most commonly. Varicose veins develop gradually over time due to vein malfunction combined with the effects of gravity.

Normally, your heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through your arteries, so it can reach all the way out to your farthest extremities. Veins, with the help of surrounding muscles, bring blood back to your heart to get more oxygen.

To prevent backflow, you have multiple valves in your veins that keep blood moving in the right direction — toward your heart. But if these valves don’t close all the way, blood starts pooling in your veins. This leads to vein damage and the bulging varicose veins you see on the surface.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

The enlargement of the affected vein causes a noticeable bulge just beneath the surface of your skin. Varicose veins can become twisted and rope-like, often affecting how you feel about the appearance of your legs.

In some cases, varicose veins can feel achy or painful. You may feel a heaviness in your legs along with other symptoms like:

• Itching
• Skin discoloration
• Persistent leg cramps

In the earliest stages of varicose veins, you may notice the appearance of spider veins, which are similar to varicose veins but much smaller and not as severe.

How are varicose veins treated?

If you’re bothered by the appearance or discomfort of varicose veins, the team at Soffer Health Institute can determine which type of treatment is right for you. If you can’t make it to the office right away, elemedicine appointments can get you started with discussing the best course of treatment.

In early stages of varicose veins, you may benefit from wearing compression socks to help increase your blood flow. Your Soffer Health Institute physician may also recommend increasing your daily exercise and making changes to your diet.

If varicose veins aren’t treatable with noninvasive care, the team at Soffer Health Institute offers several procedures, including sclerotherapy, endovenous ablation, and surgery.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a special solution that causes the affected vein to collapse and die. The in-office procedure is effective in quickly treating varicose veins without incisions or downtime.

Endovenous ablation

Endovenous ablation is a procedure that uses laser or radiofrequency energy to seal off the affected vein, preventing blood from flowing through.

Removal surgery

Varicose vein removal surgery is often necessary for treating severely enlarged varicose veins. Through a small incision, the surgeon uses specialized surgical tools to tie off the vein and remove it from your leg. Surgery can address affected veins near the surface of your skin or in the deeper veins within your leg.

Removal surgery is typically a last resort for treating varicose veins only when other therapies won’t work.

In addition to treating or removing varicose veins, the team at Soffer Health Institute also offers comprehensive care to prevent new varicose veins from forming. They can provide resources to help you strengthen your veins and boost the overall blood circulation in your legs and the rest of your body.

Varithena

Varithena is a gentle microfoam treatment delivered in as few as 1-2 needle sticks. Patients reporting pain at the injection or application site in clinical trials was 4.0%. For most people, Varithena improves both physical symptoms related to varicose veins, and their appearance.

When will I have results after varicose vein treatment?

Your varicose vein treatment from Soffer Health should provide a reduction in the appearance of leg veins in as little as 3-4 weeks. For stubborn leg veins, 2-4 sessions might be necessary.

If you have varicose veins, the team at Soffer Aesthetic can help. Get started on your varicose vein treatment by booking a consultation through the website or over the phone today.

Individual results may vary.

To get help for painful or protruding varicose veins, schedule a consultation online or call the Soffer Health Institute office nearest you today. Please note that during the coronavirus crisis, most televisits are 100% insurance covered with no copays.

Varithena Q & A

If you’re struggling with varicose veins and looking into minimally invasive treatment options, here are a few helpful answers to common questions about Varithena.

What is Varithena?

Varithena polidocinal injectable foam 1% is an FDA-approved prescription medicine used to treat varicose veins caused by problems with the great saphenous vein (GSV) and other related veins in the leg’s GSV system. Varithena improves symptoms related to or caused by varicose veins, and the appearance of varicose veins.

How does Varithena work?

• The physician administers a small amount of Varithena.
• The microfoam fills and treats the desired section of the vein.
• The diseased vein collapses and the foam is diluted in the bloodstream and flushed out.

How is blood flow affected?

When the malfunctioning vein collapses, blood flow shifts to healthier veins nearby.

What is treatment like?

Treatment with Varithena is minimally invasive and nonsurgical (no incisions required). Other kinds of varicose vein therapies may require many needle sticks. But with Varithena, treatment is usually just one or two needle sticks and is nearly painless. Patients reporting pain at the injection or application site in clinical trials was 4.0%.1

How fast is the treatment?

It usually takes less than an hour to get the treatment.

How soon can I get back to my normal activities?

Most people may resume normal activities the same day as treatment. You should avoid heavy exercise for one week. Keep post-treatment bandages dry and in place for 48 hours, and wear compression stockings on the treated leg for two weeks. For a month, you should walk at least 10 minutes a day and avoid long stretches of inactivity.

How many treatments might I need?

Most people only need a single treatment. Additional treatment may be needed, depending on the number and size of veins being treated.

Is Varithena effective?

In clinical studies, the majority of patients treated with Varithena experienced improvements in symptoms: heaviness, achiness, swelling, throbbing and itching after just one treatment. The clinical studies also found that the majority of patients experienced improvement in vein appearance in assessments by both patients and physicians.

What are the side effects?

The most common side effects are leg pain or discomfort, injection site bruising or pain, and potentially serious blood clots in the leg veins. These are not all of the possible side effects of Varithena. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. You can also report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What should I tell my physician?

Tell your physician about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• Have arterial disease (a disease of the blood vessels)
• Have reduced mobility
• Have a history of blood clots in the veins or lungs
• Have had major surgery in the past three months
• Have recently had a long hospital stay
• Are pregnant or have recently been pregnant