Those small, purple veins in your legs can become large, painful obstacles to your circulation. When treated early, those veins will disappear, leaving no trace that they were there. When they get larger, it will be difficult to treat them without scarring. Here is what you need to know about the treatment of your varicose veins before they get worse.

Faulty Veins Are the Cause

Blood vessels have tiny valves in them to help push the blood through in one direction. In varicose veins, the valves don't work properly, allowing blood to pool in the vein. The blood vessels become stretched, which allows more blood to sit in them, affecting the circulation to your lower legs, ankles, and feet. Some of the symptoms you can have include

• swollen ankles and feet
• a burning feeling over the veins
• pain and fatigue in your legs

Treatment of Varicose Veins

The treatment is focused on removing the faulty veins from your legs so they don't affect your circulation. Treated early when they are small, the defective veins will be absorbed by the body, leaving no trace. Treatment of the larger veins can leave scar tissue from the vein and the surgical incisions required.

Sclerotherapy

With this treatment, a chemical is injected directly into the varicose vein, which irritates the vessel wall and causes it to shrink. The blood clots in the vein as it contracts. Eventually, the vein tissue is absorbed by the body and the blood flows through other veins to support the circulation in your legs. This treatment is typically used on smaller varicose veins.

Laser Vein Treatment

A tiny incision is made over the vein and a tube carrying a small laser is inserted. Two types of laser therapy are used, with similar results. In the first, the light from the laser produces scarring in the blood vessel which causes it to shrink. The second uses heat produced by the laser to damage the vessel wall until it contracts. In both cases, the vein is absorbed by the body. Laser treatment is also used on small varicose veins.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Similar to the laser treatment, a tube is inserted into the vein and radio waves are used to damage the blood vessel until it shrinks. This is effective against small varicose veins, which are absorbed with no trace left behind.

Vein Stripping

When the vein is large and extends from the upper into the lower leg, surgical removal is required. An incision is made and a metal or plastic rod passed down through the length of the vessel. Incisions are made at intervals over the vein and the blood vessel is secured to the rod. The rod is then pulled out of the body, with the faulty blood vessel still attached. This procedure does leave scarring where the varicose vein grew through the leg.

Phlebectomy

To remove the largest varicose veins, several incisions are made through the blood vessel and it is removed in pieces. This does leave scarring where the varicose vein was removed.

For further information, contact a representative from an establishment like Elite Vein Centers.