Millions of adults have varicose veins, or enlarged, bulging leg veins that look like twisted, dark blue or purple cords just beneath the surface of the skin. Conspicuous leg veins can be difficult to live with — particularly if they’re unsightly, bothersome, painful, or all the above.
Luckily, you don’t have to: Dr. Johnny L. Serrano, your general surgeon in Glendale, Arizona, offers several advanced, minimally invasive varicose vein removal options to help you get rid of unwanted or problematic veins safely, quickly, and without surgery.
As a leading varicose vein specialist in the Phoenix area, Dr. Serrano offers a full scope of in-office treatment solutions for troublesome veins at Precision Surgery and Advanced Vein Therapy. Here, he discusses the four main reasons people seek varicose vein treatment, and the various techniques he can use to remove them.
As a central part of your circulatory system, your veins carry deoxygenated blood from your body tissues, organs, and extremities back to your heart and lungs so it can be reinfused with fresh oxygen and nutrients. Veins have internal one-way valves that keep blood flowing in the right direction.
When one or more of these valves become weak, damaged, or dysfunctional, blood doesn’t flow through the vessel as efficiently as it should. Instead, it routinely backs up and pools behind the problematic valves and puts increased pressure on the vein wall, causing it to swell, stretch, twist, and distort until it becomes “varicose.”
Older age, female gender, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, and lifestyle (smoking, standing all day, sitting too much) are top varicose vein risk factors.
Aside from their conspicuous appearance, most varicose veins aren’t problematic — they don’t cause bothersome symptoms, and they don’t carry a high risk of complications. So, if you have varicose veins, when should you consider treating them? Most people have their veins removed for one of the following reasons:
For many people, the swelling and prominent discoloration of large, bulging varicose veins is an ongoing source of self-consciousness that perpetuates an acute awareness of their appearance. In fact, many people with eye-catching leg veins deliberately keep them covered with pants, leggings, or long dresses — even on hot summer days.
Varicose vein treatments target prominent unwanted veins, fading their discoloration and ropey appearance from view so your legs look smooth and healthy once again.
The longer you have varicose veins, the more likely they are to give rise to symptoms. Some people experience burning or itching sensations around the affected vein, while others feel an ongoing feeling of tiredness, achiness, or heaviness in their legs that rarely improves.
Varicose vein treatment dramatically minimizes or eliminates these symptoms. By getting rid of problematic leg veins, Dr. Serrano can put an end to your constant, nagging discomfort and help you get back to your normal, active life.
When varicose vein symptoms like leg fatigue, swelling, and achiness are persistent, it’s more than a minor irritation — it’s a chronic problem that can diminish your quality of life. Varicose vein symptoms may make you less physically active, prompting you to take frequent breaks and elevate your legs to relieve discomfort. Nighttime vein throbbing may also make it harder to get deep, restful sleep.
Vein treatment puts an end to these chronic symptoms so you can become more active during the day, get more sleep at night, and improve the overall quality of your life.
Varicose veins can lead to several complications, ranging from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and dry, itchy skin (dermatitis) to the development of open sores called ulcers and painful blood clots close to the surface of the skin. While such complications don’t occur in every case, vein treatment is the only way to prevent them.
At Precision Surgery and Advanced Vein Therapy, Dr. Serrano offers a comprehensive range of treatment options for unwanted varicose veins. The solution that’s best for you depends on the size, severity, and location of your problematic vein.
To address small to mid-sized varicose veins, he may recommend sclerotherapy, a treatment that involves injecting a hypertonic saline solution directly into the undesired vein, causing it to swell shut, collapse, and eventually fade away.
To treat varicose veins that have become swollen, cramped, and painful, Dr. Serrano may recommend VNUS Closure™, the FDA-approved, minimally invasive radiofrequency (RF) ablation technique that uses thermal energy to close problematic varicose veins.
For mid-sized varicose veins, including the grape-like varicosities that sometimes persist after RF ablation, a microphlebectomy may work best. This minimally invasive treatment uses a series of tiny “micro-incisions” to access and remove a varicose vein.
To learn more about the minimally invasive varicose vein removal options available at Precision Surgery and Advanced Vein Therapy in Glendale, Arizona, call 623-321-5663 today or click online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Serrano any time.
