An estimated 30 to 60% of adults have varicose veins — bulging, red or blue veins visible through the skin of the legs, face, or chest. Whether you want to remove varicose veins for cosmetic reasons or have other complications associated with varicose veins, Don H. Gaede, MD and his knowledgeable team at VeinPros in Fresno, California offer minimally invasive treatment with little to no downtime. Give the practice a call or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment today.
Varicose veins are veins in your legs with defective valves that cause poor circulation, a condition called venous reflux. The blood in these veins actually reverses direction and pools, causing a bulging deformity that is seen as protruding knots on the legs.
Varicose veins are often a cosmetic problem, and if you aren’t experiencing pain or swelling, they can be left untreated. However, if you experience any pain or swelling around varicose veins, you should call VeinPros for an appointment.
The blood pooling in varicose veins can clot and cause a condition called superficial phlebitis, which is usually very painful and can progress into deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a dangerous deep vein clot that requires immediate medical attention. Varicose veins can also be the first sign of a serious disease called chronic venous disease, which results in hardening of the skin and potential skin ulcers that are difficult to heal.
Some varicose veins don’t cause pain. However, in many cases, they can cause discomfort and lead to further complications. Potential problematic symptoms of varicose veins include:
Less common, but more severe symptoms of varicose veins may include discoloration and pain in the affected areas, skin ulcers and infections, and bleeding from the affected veins.
You can use compression stockings to promote blood flow and increase your activity level to relieve the symptoms of varicose veins. But to get rid of them, you need to eliminate the defective veins. By the way, eliminating the varicose veins does not harm your circulation. In fact, it improves your circulation, because now the blood can more easily flow back to the heart. A variety of treatments exist, including:
ClosureFast is VeinPros’ treatment of choice. It’s an outpatient procedure with minimal pain and fast recovery that uses radiofrequency ablation to heat the damaged veins, causing them to close and eventually fade away. The body safely reroutes blood to healthy veins, offering relief to the cosmetic symptoms of varicose and spider veins while also resolving the underlying cause.
If you notice the appearance of varicose veins along with pain or swelling, give VeinPros a call, or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment. The vein specialists at the practice provide a thorough examination and if needed, minimally invasive vein treatments with no downtime needed.