Just below the surface of your skin is a powerful system of veins and arteries working round the clock to keep blood circulating all over your body. Fortunately, this happens without us realizing it. That is, until varicose veins show up.
Here, our team of specialists at Advanced Vascular Solutions takes a closer look at varicose veins and shows you how our advanced treatments can help you get rid of them.
Your veins carry blood toward your heart, and for the veins in your legs, that means working against gravity. To do this, your veins come equipped with small one-way valves. These valves open and close with every beat of your heart and keep your blood moving in the right direction.
Simply put, varicose veins develop when the valves fail to function properly, allowing blood to get stuck and pool in your veins. That’s why varicose veins usually show up in your legs and appear swollen, raised, and bluish-purple in color.
But what causes your veins to suddenly stop working the way they should? One of the most common culprits of varicose veins is simply the gradual effects of time. As you age, your veins weaken and are unable to carry blood as efficiently as they used to. Jobs that require you to stand for long periods of time put an inordinate amount of pressure on your veins and can weaken your valves.
Gender also plays a role in varicose veins. Women are more likely to get varicose veins than men because of the changes their bodies go through. For example, during pregnancy, the significant increase in blood volume and the changes in hormone levels enlarges the veins and often leads to varicose veins. Hormonal changes during menopause can also compromise vein health.
In addition to being an eyesore, varicose veins can be painful and itchy, and trigger other symptoms, such as tingling, night cramps, and restless legs.
Though varicose veins are irritating and embarrassing, they’re rarely a cause for concern — and they’re easily treated.
We use only the best, most advanced veins treatments and are proud to offer our patients the VenaSeal™ Closure System. This minimally invasive outpatient treatment allows us to quickly and effectively close off malfunctioning veins.
Here’s how it works.
During your procedure, we fill a syringe with a special medical adhesive and attach it to the VenaSeal catheter. We insert the catheter through a small incision in your affected vein using ultrasound-guided imaging. Once in place, we carefully inject the adhesive to close the vein. Then, we remove the catheter and gently apply pressure to ensure proper closure. To finish, we simply cover the incision with a bandage.
Where does all that blood go once the vein is closed? Your body is incredibly intuitive and won’t waste time rerouting the blood through healthier veins. As a result, your varicose veins gradually disappear, leaving you with smoother-looking skin.
Because VenaSeal is so minimally invasive, it causes less pain and bruising than traditional varicose vein treatments, which means a faster recovery. Bonus: There’s often no need to wear compression stockings after treatment.
It’s important to know that your varicose veins don’t go away immediately; you must give your body time to adjust. Most of our patients notice the best results after a few months and enjoy them for upwards of five years.
Ready to say goodbye to varicose veins? We’d love to talk with you. Call our friendly staff at 772-277-2964 to schedule an appointment at our Sebastian, Florida office today.
