Showing posts with label varicose vein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label varicose vein. Show all posts

Monday, May 4, 2009

What causes spider veins? part 3

Trauma: Any type of trauma can lead to development of spider veins. Because these small tiny veins are very superficial and located immediately underneath the skin, even mild trauma can lead to rupture of these veins. Either blunt of penetrating trauma can lead to spider veins.

Sun: The biggest risk factor for spider veins is prolonged exposure to sun. How sun causes spider veins is not known but is related to the harmful UV rays, which weaken vein walls. Almost all individuals who have prolonged exposure to sun develop spider veins prematurely on their face.

Tight clothing:
In recent years, it has become obvious that women who wear extremely tight clothes, girdles, underpants, or jeans frequently have spider veins. Restrictive clothing is one reason why spider veins are more common in younger individuals. The tight clothing limits blood flow and lead to blood engorgement. As the pressure in veins is increased, spider veins start to appear.

In some individuals, no known risk factor is known and yet they develop spider veins. In such cases, this is simply due to bad karma.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Varicose veins & treatments Part 1

Can Sclerotherapy be used to treat varicose veins?

No, sclerotherapy is only meant to treat small spider veins. Varicosities are quite large and the amount of chemical needed for sclerotherapy would lead to serious side effects.

Can laser be used to treat varicose veins?


No, laser is only used to treat superficial spider veins

Vein stripping

The oldest procedure to treat varicose veins is vein stripping. The procedure is generally used in individuals who have “thick rope” like varicose veins. The procedure is done under anesthesia and has a downtime of a few days. The vein is tied off in the groin and the remainder is pulled away. After surgery, bruising and mild pain is common. While many people seem to have a negative attitude towards vein stripping, it is perhaps the gold standard for treating varicose veins in the entire leg. It also has the lowest incidence of recurrence. After surgery, it is recommended that one wear compression stockings on a regular basis.

Ambulatory phlebectomy:
Some individuals only have large bluish veins at a few spots on the leg. For these individuals, isolated small stabs or incisions can be made to remove the obvious veins. The procedure does require anesthesia but has little downtime. Special instruments are used to remove the varicosities and the results are okay. Recurrences are common. It is highly recommended that one wear compression stockings after the procedure