Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted and can appear ropy. They are swollen, dark blue or purple blood vessels that you can see and feel beneath the skin. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although they can occur elsewhere too. Fortunately, there are solutions to varicose veins in Fairfax—VeinGuard Heart & Vascular Center.
What Are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are the veins under the skin of your legs, which are twisted or widened. The leg consists of two main veins: the deep veins and the superficial veins.
Your leg muscles exert pressure on the deep veins when walking and this carries blood back from the legs to the heart. The superficial veins are under the skin and play a less significant role.
Both the deep veins and superficial veins have valves that prevent blood from flowing down to the legs and instead push it toward the heart. When these one-way valves are damaged, the result is varicose veins. Consequently, blood flows down to your legs and causes excessive pressure when standing. The excess pressure causes the veins to expand or widen.
If you’re ready to start treatment for varicose veins in Fairfax, contact us at VeinGuard.
How Common Are Varicose Veins?
A varicose vein is a condition that affects 3 in 10 adults. Men are less likely to develop varicose veins than women are. Varicose veins can affect any part of the body, but they commonly occur in the feet and legs, particularly the calves. This is because walking and standing exerts a lot of pressure on the veins in your lower body. This web page seeks to discuss what varicose veins are, types of varicose veins, and how they are diagnosed and treated.
The Different Stages of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are dilated, elongated, and convoluted veins that can develop in both men and women in the legs and can be brought on by a number of things, including pregnancy, ageing, heredity, and prolonged standing or sitting.
Stage 1
Varicose veins are typically tiny, barely perceptible, and unprovoked at this stage. They could be mistaken for spider veins, which are tiny, reddish-blue, web-like veins that develop on the skin’s surface.
Stage 2
Varicose veins at this stage are bigger, more noticeable, and may cause minimal symptoms including aching, heavy legs, and minimal edema.
Stage 3
Varicose veins are thicker and more noticeable at this stage, and they may also produce more severe symptoms including intense discomfort, leg cramps, itching, and skin changes like eczema or thickening. During this stage, advanced venous disease, also called chronic venous insufficiency, prevents the veins in the legs from returning blood to the heart. This can be caused by severe varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis or pelvic congestion syndrome.
Stage 4
Severe varicose veins at this stage may result in noticeable symptoms like bleeding or ulceration. Additionally, functional issues such as difficulty standing or walking may be brought on by these veins at this stage.
Before & After Vein Treatment
Types of Varicose Veins
Trunk varicose veins: In this condition, the veins around the surface of your skin are affected. These veins appear lumpy and thick. They are visible, long, and unpleasant.
Reticular varicose veins: Red veins that form a network like pattern.
Telangiectasia varicose veins: These are also called spider or thread veins. They are small clusters of red or blue veins that appear on your legs or face. Spider veins are harmless and do not bulge beneath the skin’s surface like trunk varicose veins.
The right treatment can take care of the discomfort associated with the condition and improve the appearance. If left untreated, it can lead to serious circulatory problems and could worsen over time. Contact us today to schedule a leg vein treatment Fairfax patients trust.
FAQs About Varicose Veins
How are varicose veins diagnosed?
To check for varicose veins, your physician will perform a physical exam that includes observing your legs to check whether there is any swelling. Your doctor could also ask you to describe any aching and pain in your legs.
Your physician may also perform an ultrasound test to check whether the valves in your veins are operating normally or whether you have a blood clot. During this exam, a technician passes a handheld device/ transducer over your skin. The transducer projects images of the veins in your legs to a screen. This way, your physician is able to determine whether you have expanded veins or any kind of swelling.
Our vein doctors at the VeinGuard Center can determine the cause of varicose veins and provide cosmetic and medical treatment via a customized service and prevention plan. For varicose vein treatment in Fairfax; call 703-560-1075 to contact the VeinGuard Center.
What are the treatment options for varicose veins?
Fortunately with today’s technology, treatment is non-invasive and doesn’t require an uncomfortable recovery. There are many different approaches for the treatment and improvement of varicose veins:
Self care: Exercising, losing weight, not wearing tight clothes, keeping your legs elevated, and avoiding long periods standing on the legs and sitting.
Compression stockings: Wearing compression stockings throughout the day is usually the first approach before moving on to other treatments. This method helps move blood more efficiently.
Sclerotherapy: In this procedure, your doctor injects small- and medium-sized varicose veins with a solution that scars and closes those veins. In a few weeks, treated varicose veins should fade.
Although the same vein may need to be injected more than once, sclerotherapy is effective if done correctly. Sclerotherapy doesn’t require anesthesia and can be done in your doctor’s office.
Foam sclerotherapy of large veins: Injection of a large vein with a foam solution is also a possible treatment to close a vein and seal it. This is a newer technique.
Laser surgeries: Doctors are using new technology in laser treatments to close off smaller varicose veins and spider veins. Laser surgery works by sending strong bursts of light onto the vein, which makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.
ClariVein: A rotating tip is used to make a pin sized entry into the peripheral vasculature, the rotating tip of the ClariVein®OC is set in motion to treat the inside of the vessel delivering medicine specified by your doctor. The medicine is delivered through the unique rotating tip of the catheter allowing for 360-degree coverage of the vessel.
Varithena: The doctor administers a small amount of Varithena® through a catheter or by direct injection into the malfunctioning vein. The diseased vein collapses and the microfoam is deactivated. When the malfunctioning vein collapses, blood flow shifts to healthier veins nearby.
Phlebectomy: A minimally invasive procedure that uses a small scalpel or needle to remove the varicose veins on the surface of the leg. When the procedure is completed, your leg will be wrapped in a comfortable compression wrap. This treatment is highly successful on selected patients.
What causes varicose veins?
Genetics is the leading cause behind varicose veins. This condition is seen to affect multiple members of a family. Besides hereditary factors, other factors leading to varicose veins involve certain life events, such as trauma to the legs from surgery or accidents, pregnancies, and occupations that demand long periods of sitting or standing.
What are the symptoms?
Varicose veins appear dark blue in color. They are commonly seen on the interior side of the legs or the backs of the calves. However, these veins can form anywhere on your legs, starting from your groin area to your ankles. They bulge or protrude from under the skin and feel very ropy. The condition can cause aches or heaviness in your legs. In most cases, the symptoms are characterized by itching, burning, throbbing, swelling and muscle cramping in your legs. Frequently, prolonged standing or sitting makes the feeling even worse, but elevating your legs makes it better. Also, varicose veins may also lead to skin ulcers in the ankle area.
Contact us today about leg vein treatment Fairfax, Tysons Corner and Falls Church patients trust.
Who is most at risk for varicose veins?
Anyone is at the risk of suffering from varicose veins, but women, particularly pregnant women, have a higher chance of developing them compared to men. Also, about 42 percent of men suffer from venous insufficiency by the time they reach sixty. Regardless of their age or gender, those with a family history are usually more likely to develop them.
How effective are compression stockings?
Compression stockings are considered a highly effective treatment for people suffering from varicose veins or any other type of venous insufficiency. These garments work by applying direct pressure to the afflicted veins and stimulating blood flow in them. This reduces inflammation and prevents blood from clotting up. However, compression stockings should be used along with a proper treatment plan. You should always consult a doctor to know which type of compression stocking would work for you.
What procedure can eliminate varicose veins?
A short and quick venous procedure like a vein ablation can prove useful in eliminating or diminishing varicose veins. However, since there are genetic factors at play, there is a slight risk for the condition to reoccur. The kind of treatment you receive will also play a role in the recurrence. For instance, vein stripping has proven much less effective than newer techniques like ablation and sclerotherapy. Many patients experience pain and inflammation again within a few months of getting the procedure. With the new laser technologies, we can address and get effective results with our leg vein treatments in Fairfax, VA.
Get Varicose Vein Treatment in Fairfax
When varicose veins form, the valves within a vein weaken and allow some blood to flow backward. The vein can weaken under the strain and starts to balloon outward, which causes the skin to raise. This can cause aching, heaviness, swelling, itching, cramping, restless legs, and discomfort. Dr. Fareeha Khan, M.D. FACC, has years of experience with effective results in handling leg vein treatments Fairfax and Tysons Corner patients rely on.
