| Frequently Asked Questions |
What causes varicose veins? Veins carry used blood to the heart through one way valve systems. When there is a weakness in the vein wall or faulty valve, the valve stretches and no longer closes properly. The veins become filled with blood that can't flow normally, causing pain, swelling, discoloration, sores that wont heal, blood clots and other problems. What kinds of veins can be treated? Huge varicose veins down to tiny spider veins. Treatable veins can be located anywhere on the body, however most are commonly treated on the legs and face. Veins are treated with Laser Therapy Sclerotherapy, Microphlebectomy, ELAS, and VNUS. How soon will I notice a difference in appearance? The tiniest spider veins may remain slightly red for several days and then begin to fade over a period of 1 to 2 months. Larger veins require a few weeks to improve in appearance. Normal healing varies from person to person. Will it hurt? ELAS treatments require local anesthetic and patients do not feel any pain during the procedure. Sclerotherapy is preformed with extremely small needles in which a sclerosing solution is used to inject the veins. No pain is felt at the injection site. Some discomfort is felt may be felt after the procedures. These procedures offer an excellent alternative to excruciatingly painful vein strippings with the patient experiencing minor, if any, pain after the surgery. Can the veins come back? The veins treated with sclerotherapy are destroyed and will be reabsorbed into the body so those veins can't come back. Varicose vein segments are permanently removed. However nothing can be done can be done to prevent your body from forming new spider and varicose veins. Do I have to be hospitalized for my treatments? No, all of our procedures are performed in our office. No hospitalization is required. There is minimal "down time" following all of these treatments. Will my insurance cover theses procedures? The diagnosis and treatment of significant problems due to diseased veins are covered by most insurance companies. Spider veins are considered cosmetic and usually not covered. Our evaluation can usually tell whether diseased veins are causing medically significant problems. |