Are varicose veins keeping you from hitting the beach this year?  Varicose and spider veins can potentially ruin the look of your legs, but there is more to it than just aesthetics. The blue lines and red or blue spider webs spoiling your beach look may indicate a more serious vascular problem. A trip to the vein clinic allows you to get varicose vein treatment that improves the way your legs look and feel.

What are Varicose Veins?

The vein system transports blood from the cells to the heart to replenish the oxygen. The veins in the legs must work against the pull of gravity to move blood upward. To aid in this process, veins have valves built into the walls. When the muscles in the vein contract, the valve opens. As the muscle relaxes, the valve closes to stop the blood from flowing back towards the feet.

Varicose veins become engorged with blood because one or more of these valves fail to close completely. Gravity pulls the blood downward and it pools around the next working valve, so the vein swells. When the diseased vein is close to the surface of the skin, you can see it – when the vein twists and bulges due to backed up blood, it creates an unsightly mess.

Are Varicose Veins a Sign of Illness?

They can be a symptom of a more serious vascular condition in the legs. The vein doctors will evaluate the circulation in your legs looking for chronic venous insufficiency or even a deep vein thrombosis. This allows them to treat the underlying condition at the same time and help prevent future vein problems.

How Does a Varicose Vein Treatment Improve How Legs Look?

The goal of these treatments is to remove the vein completely. Today, vascular surgeons can offer a minimally invasive procedure that forces the vein to close. Once the body reroutes the blood flow to utilize healthy veins, it will absorb the bad one. After the treatment, the ugly, twisted and bulging veins disappear.

Vein treatments are done right at the clinic and with very little recovery time.

• Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation
• Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLT)
• Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy
• Ambulatory Phlebectomy

Vein procedures take just a few minutes to complete. For some, you will need a day or two rest to allow your leg to heal. Others, such as ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, allow you to be up and around immediately. You can return to your daily activities once you leave the clinic.

Hoping to get your beach legs back this year? Don’t let ugly varicose veins hold you back. It takes just minutes to improve the look and feel of your legs.