Can't wear shorts and skirts because of varicose veins? Don't let varicose veins stop you from having a blast in the DC metro area. There are actually several options now to your problem and where here to help you choose which one is the best for you.

What are Varicose Veins anyway?

Varicose veins are those enlarged dark blue and purple veins that often buldge on your legs. Not only are they unsightly, they can also cause pain and discomfort, often after sitting or standing for a long-time.

When leg veins weaken or stop functioning properly, the blood that's supposed to flow upwards toward the heart flows backward instead and pools in the veins. Women are more prone to develop varicose veins than men. Older people are also at risk at developing varicose veins because leg veins weaken as we age. Lastly, being overweight will increase your chances of developing varicose veins because your leg veins will have to work extra hard to pump blood back to your heart.

Varicose Vein Treatments

If you only have mild symptoms, then resting and elevating your legs + exercise to strengthen your leg muscles may already be enough. The traditional treatment for varicose veins is a surgery called vein stripping, which involves physically removing the affected veins. Fortunately, newer and less-invasive procedures are now available.

Sclerotherapy - this is the most common treatment for varicose veins employed today. This involves injecting a chemical which seals the affected veins shut. No anesthesia is required but the whole treatment requires 1-3 sessions, with each session lasting for 15 to 60 minutes.

After each treatment, you will be required to wear compression stockings. Scar tissue and a slight skin discoloration may also develop after the treatment, but these usually fade after some time.

Laser or Surface Therapy - This is usually employed to treat smaller varicose veins. This involves pointing a laser to the skin. The laser has a specific wavelength which damages only the veins without affecting nearby tissues.

Laser therapy is preferred by women who have a phobia of needles, although that doesn't mean that this procedure is painless. The whole treatment may also last for several sessions, with each session lasting between 15 to 30 minutes. Some bruising and discoloration (either lightening or darkening) may result on the treated area.

Internal Therapy - this involves using either laser or radio frequency to treat deeper varicose veins. An ultrasound is used to locate deep varicose veins, while a catherer that emits either laser or radio frequency is inserted to shrink and shut the vein. Other smaller veins near the skin's surface that are connected to the deep veins will usually shrink as well; but if that doesn't happen, a follow up sclerotherapy may be needed. Patient will be required to wear compression stockings for about two weeks.

Where can I get treatments in DC?

The treatments above can be administered by dermatologists, cosmetic surgery clinics, and vascular surgeons in hospitals. There are also a few specialized vein and vascular treatment clinics in the greater DC metro area.