Visible veins on the legs can make wearing shorts and skirts seem far less desirable during the hot summer months. North Shore Vein Center on Long Island offers several minimally invasive treatments that can reduce the appearance of unsightly veins, making for a more comfortable and pleasurable summer season.
Here’s how these Long Island vein care treatments work and how to request a consultation with North Shore Vein Center.
What Are Varicose Veins and Spider Veins?
Varicose veins are large, twisting veins that bulge out of the skin. They usually develop in the legs and are purple or blue in color. In many instances, varicose veins can cause symptoms, including itching, pain, and swelling in the legs.
Spider veins are significantly smaller than varicose veins. They can be seen under the skin, but they do not twist or bulge outward. These tiny veins are usually only cosmetic and do not cause symptoms like varicose veins.
Why Do Veins Commonly Appear in the Legs?
Standing, walking, and sitting for long periods can cause blood to pool in the veins in the legs. Over time, the excess pressure being placed on those veins can cause them to weaken, stretch, and grow larger.
Being overweight or pregnant increases the risk for varicose veins and spider veins as well, given how excess weight can also increase pressure on the veins and damage their valves.
How Can You Treat Unsightly Veins in the Legs Before Summer?
Vein care treatments can be performed at any time of year, but addressing veins right before summer can pave the way for an enjoyable and comfortable season.
The vein treatments offered at North Shore Vein Center are minimally invasive and produce no downtime. Addressing veins early in the year is ideal, given how multiple treatment sessions may be needed to achieve desired results and reduce the appearance of the veins.
Which Treatments Are Best for Reducing Veins in the Legs?
A vein care specialist can examine unsightly veins and recommend the best treatment method based on the appearance and symptoms of the veins. Sclerotherapy, endovenous closure, and laser therapy are some of the safest and most effective vein treatments.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy can treat both spider veins and varicose veins. It involves injecting a medication or liquid solution into the vein that causes it to collapse and gradually fade from view. There are two types of sclerotherapy: ultrasound-guided and foam.
Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy is a traditional form of sclerotherapy in which a vein specialist uses ultrasound technology to carefully and precisely guide the injection into the problematic vein.
In foam sclerotherapy, a liquid solution is mixed with air to trigger a more intense spasm that causes the vein to collapse. This method is typically used for large veins that do not respond to traditional sclerotherapy or other treatments.
Endovenous Closure
Endovenous closure is a laser vein treatment for both spider veins and varicose veins. During this procedure, a vein specialist inserts a tiny laser fiber into the problematic vein to heat its walls. This causes the vein to collapse and gradually fade from view.
Treatment usually lasts about 45 minutes and produces no downtime.
Laser Vein Therapy
Laser vein therapy is completely non-invasive and ideal for treating spider veins and small varicose veins that don’t produce symptoms. During this treatment, a laser beam is directed at the problematic vein, which destroys it and causes it to collapse. Spider veins may disappear from view right away, while larger veins may need between one and three months to disappear.
This treatment method may require up to three sessions spaced several weeks apart.
Those who want to enjoy the summer sun right away may want to choose sclerotherapy or endovenous closure over laser vein therapy. On the other hand, those who want a non-invasive treatment may benefit most from getting laser therapy earlier in the year.
North Shore Vein Center on Long Island offers a variety of treatments for varicose veins and spider veins, including laser vein therapy and sclerotherapy. Contact North Shore Vein Center today at (516) 869-8346 to request a consultation and learn more about these options.