Varicose Veins - Is sclerotherapy the answer?

Should you worry about those dark blue or purple veins that bulge from the skin on your legs? The answer is more complex than you might think.

Varicose veins are caused when vein valves stop working properly. Each vein contains a tiny valve in it. When that valve is strong and healthy, it pumps blood back to the heart where it is re-oxygenated and pumped back out to your body. When the valve fails to work, blood starts backing up or pooling and the vein begins to expand. This is when the vein may appear to bulge or turn purple. The veins in your legs must work against gravity when you stand, run, bike, hike, so they are particularly susceptible to failure of some kind.

Varicose veins can also occur as a result of changes in hormone levels. Often, estrogen fluctuations which occur throughout a lifetime cause structural changes to the vein wall. The result….an increase in the actual size of the vein, causing blue and purple bulges to appear on your legs, feet or ankles. This is why varicose veins are more common in women.

Unfortunately, varicose veins will not go away without some type of medical intervention. Even worse, they typically continue to worsen as we age. Left untreated, varicose veins can cause myriad problems including:

• Leg pain
• Swelling or burning
• Heaviness or Leg Fatigue
• Permanent discoloration of the skin
• Frequent Leg Ulcers

Sclerotherapy is often an excellent treatment option for many people with varicose veins. Sclerotherapy is the targeted chemical ablation of a varicose vein by intravenous injection of a liquid or foam solution. The solution is called a sclerosant which causes the vain walls to swell, stick together and seal shut. Since there is no blood flow to the treated vein, it collapses and eventually fades within a few weeks. Early intervention with sclerotherapy has proven effective for the treatment and accelerated healing of leg ulcers as well.

Before sclerotherapy is performed your doctor will likely ask for an ultrasound test of the legs. Ultrasound is a painless procedure that uses sound waves to capture images of the veins and their structural integrity.

According to the NIH, Sclerotherapy with liquid and foam sclerosants is a safe and effective procedure for treating spider veins, reticular veins and varicose veins. Be proactive with your vein health.