Veins in your body comprise valves that open and close to regulate blood flow. The veins in your legs mainly work against gravity to transport blood over the most significant distance, from the feet to your heart. Valves in these veins may weaken or get damaged, allowing blood to flow back, causing veins to enlarge. Superficial veins can be unsightly and result in other troublesome symptoms such as muscle cramps and swelling. cosmetic vein treatment in Lake Mary can help you get rid of the enlarged blood vessels. Here are the different types of vein treatments specialists recommend.
Treatments for varicose veins
Treating varicose veins does not always mean a lengthy hospital stay. With less invasive procedures such as sclerotherapy, patients can go home the same day after treatment. If your varicose veins are mild, your doctor may recommend:
Self-care measures
You can ease varicose vein symptoms by exercising, losing extra weight, and elevating your legs. Avoiding long hours of standing or sitting and not wearing tight-fitting clothes can also be helpful. The same measures that help you treat varicose veins at home can also help you prevent them from developing.
Compression stockings
Wearing compression stockings all day is usually the first line of treatment that a specialist uses for patients with varicose veins. They exert pressure on your legs, squeezing the veins and muscles to transport blood more efficiently. Compression stockings are available in different brands, and stress also varies. Your doctor may prescribe the socks, or you can get them at medical stores.
Although self-care measures and compression stockings can help treat varicose veins, they are not always practical. Sometimes the symptoms may not improve, or they may worsen, necessitating other medical procedures such as:
Sclerotherapy
Doctors use sclerotherapy to treat small varicose veins. The doctor injects a solution directly into the affected vein for this treatment, causing it to scar. Blood reroutes to other healthier veins, and the collapsed vein gradually fades away. The procedure can be done for cosmetic purposes or to eliminate varicose veins symptoms such as aching, night cramps, swelling, and burning.
The injection area may be bruised after treatment, and you may also experience small skin sores. Other side effects include dark lines or spots and raised red regions. These side effects are temporary and usually go away within several days or weeks.
Endovenous laser varicose vein surgery
Endovenous laser varicose vein surgery uses laser energy to close and shrink the varicose veins. As with most treatments, you need to consult with your doctor to understand what the procedure entails and the risks involved. Like most surgical procedures, this type of treatment poses several health risks: infection, blood clots, bruising, bleeding, burns, nerve damage, skin discoloration, and pain over the vein.
After treatment, your doctor may send you written instructions to help you through the healing process. For example, you can place an ice pack over the treated area for 15 minutes to reduce swelling. The incision sites should be water-free for at least 48 hours after surgery.
If your varicose veins don’t get better with self-care measures, book a session with your doctor at Vascular Vein Centers for treatment to get rid of the bothersome symptoms like night cramps.