Our vein specialist at Sycamore Medi Spa, Jonathan Weiswasser, MD, FACS, Physician is double board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Vascular Surgery and is proud to offer an array of vein treatments to treat a variety of concerns.
Varicose veins are the most common form of vascular disease, affecting between 15%-25% of all adults, and about 50% of people over the age of 50. Approximately half of the population has some form of vein disease, with women having a higher incidence than men. Varicose veins are not only unsightly, but they can be extremely uncomfortable and sometimes extremely painful. Allow Dr. Weiswasser to treat your varicose veins at Sycamore Medi Spa.
Although spider veins rarely cause pain, many patients wish to treat them for cosmetic reasons. The treatment of spider veins is relatively simple. Sclerotherapy, which simply means ‘shutting down a vein’, is the primary technique we use to treat spider veins. There are many forms of “sclero”, including injection and laser sclerotherapy. At your consultation, we will discuss the options that are appropriate in treating your vein pattern.
Vein ablation is a technique used to shut down a vein that has reflux resulting in congestion in the leg, which in turn leads to varicose veins. Veins are ordinarily designed to move blood in an upward direction, from the foot back towards the trunk, using an elaborate mechanism of valves. In some people, that mechanism can be disrupted such that when they stand up, blood reverses direction and goes down the leg. There are two types of vein ablation: laser ablation and radio-frequency ablation. Both are able to safely and effectively shut down the vein in the leg with reflux without any incisions.
Sclerotherapy is a technique used primarily for the treatment of spider veins. Injection sclerotherapy is the main type of “sclero” used to treat spider veins, which involves the injection of a liquid into the vein which then causes the vein to shut down. The treatment is done through a tiny needle and involves multiple injections throughout the leg. Injection sclerotherapy usually cannot be done all at once and requires multiple treatment sessions to achieve best results.
When disorders related to vein disease in the leg are not properly treated, they tend to progress from less to more severe. On one end of the spectrum is leg swelling; at the other end is a slow-to-heal and potentially very debilitating stasis ulcer.
Veins are designed to bring blood from the foot back to the trunk, up the leg and against gravity. Veins have a very elaborate mechanism of valves that help propel blood up the leg. In some cases, this mechanism can be disrupted, leading to reversal of flow in these veins, which then results in congestion of blood lower down in the leg, called venous reflux. This congestion leads to swelling at first, then varicose veins, and after a longer period of time, changes in the color and health of the skin around the ankles.
The skin’s poor condition can then lead to the development of a painful, large sore usually above the ankle, which is called a venous stasis ulcer. These ulcers can take years to heal and sometimes they may not heal at all. Reversal of the reflux and use of a compression stocking are the only treatments which have been shown to be effective in treating stasis ulcers. Please give our office a call and take the first step in treating your vein disorder.