When you visit a vein clinic, your vein doctor will discuss a wide range of varicose vein treatment options with you. The number of different treatments available can seem overwhelming. But, there’s a reason there are so many different options. Some treatments are better suited for certain types of vein problems than others. One of the responsibilities of vascular surgeons is to help you understand the differences between each treatment and to help you pick the best one.

Your Varicose Vein Treatment Options:

If You’re Not Sure if You’re Ready for Treatment

Not every patient is ready for a medical vein treatment just yet. There are cases where vein doctors will recommend what’s know as conservative treatments, or self-care measures, to keep varicose veins from getting worse. These treatments won’t necessarily reverse your vein problems, but they can help slow down the progression of the varicose veins.

Conservative treatment options include wearing compression stockings, losing weight if you are overweight, and getting more exercise or physical activity.

If You Have Smaller Veins

Some vein treatments are more effective on smaller varicose veins or on spider veins. These treatments include sclerotherapy. During sclerotherapy, the vein doctor injects the spider or small varicose veins with a special chemical solution. The solution destroys the veins, so that they collapse and ultimately fade from view. The blood that was flowing through those veins is simply redirected to different veins in the legs.

You might need several treatment sessions with sclerotherapy before you see the full results from treatment. There’s also a version of the treatment that uses foam to collapse the veins and that might be more effective for treating larger veins.

If Your Veins Are Deeper

Some varicose veins are located deeper in the legs, which makes treating them with surface treatments a bit trickier. Ultrasound guided treatments can be an effective option if your veins are difficult to see on the surface. During ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, the vascular surgeon uses ultrasound imaging to find his or her way to the right vein, before injecting it.

Endovenous vein ablation can also be an effective treatment for deeper veins and for larger veins.

If Your Veins are Causing You Discomfort

Larger varicose veins often cause discomfort as well as make you feel self conscious. If your veins are causing throbbing, aches or other discomfort, treatment such as endovenous vein ablation or radiofrequency closure. Both methods use a catheter to seal off and destroy larger, bulky veins.

Another treatment for painful veins is ambulatory phlebectomy. It’s a minimally invasive procedure best suited for veins close to the surface of the skin. During the treatment, your vein surgeon will make small incisions near the affected veins, then carefully remove those veins from your legs.

Deciding to treat your varicose veins is just the first step. Discuss your vein treatment options with a vascular surgeon today, so that you’re able to make the choice that’s best for you.