When you suffer from painful and swollen legs due to varicose veins, getting treated quickly and effectively is important. Here at Advanced Biosculpt and Shaheen Vascular in Mountain View, CA, we offer a wide range of vein treatment that are suitable for different patients. If your symptoms are mild, you might just need compression stockings, but if you have severe varicosities, we can help you get rid of the problem more permanently.
Each of our solutions has a different timeline, so the length of your treatment and the time it takes for results to show up will vary. Most of our permanent treatments will take several weeks or months, and you may need more than one session. Today, let’s explore the different options and how quickly you can expect them to have an effect.
What Are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins most commonly occur in the legs, but they can also affect other parts of your body, such as the pelvis, vagina, uterus, rectum, or esophagus. They are enlarged and twisted so that your blood can no longer flow smoothly and starts pooling. While some people may not get any symptoms, others experience pain, swelling, and cramps, particularly at night.
No matter if you’re hoping to get rid of these issues or you’re simply bothered by the appearance of your varicosities, seeking out treatment can be a great move. Varicose veins aren’t dangerous on their own, but they can lead to further circulatory problems in the future, for example, ulcers and sores, inflammation, or even blood clots. That’s why we offer a wide range of treatment options suitable for all of our patients with varicosities.
How Quickly Can Vein Treatment Work?
We currently have six different ways of addressing varicose veins: compression stockings, laser treatment, ligation and stripping, sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and the innovative VeinGogh treatment. Before deciding which one is the best for you, we will thoroughly evaluate your condition and discuss the possibilities with you.
Many of our patients come into the clinic looking for a quick solution. However, the speed of your results will depend on the type of treatment you receive, and sometimes, it is worth waiting longer to get the varicosities fixed permanently. Many of our solutions remove the veins completely, so you will never struggle with the issue again.
Compression Stockings
If you’re looking for a completely noninvasive and relatively simple treatment, you could start by wearing compression stockings. They can help you to deal with pain and swelling, and they keep your blood from pooling in the affected veins. Unfortunately, stockings don’t remove the root cause of the issue, so you might need additional treatment. In many cases, we will use them in combination with one or more of our vein removal methods.
The main advantage of compression stockings is that the relief is immediate, and you can expect the pain to diminish very soon after you put them on. This is the reason why they work so well on people who have temporary varicosities, for example, due to pregnancy. We often recommend that you wear them first thing in the morning because that’s when your legs are the least swollen. You may see visible improvement after 6 weeks if you wear them diligently.
Laser Treatment
We can use laser energy to heat up your affected veins and encourage them to close. As a result, your blood will start to find new paths to flow through, and the affected veins will be broken down by the body. This option is permanent because the diseased vein will no longer be present. While new varicosities can form over time, many of our patients have prevented this by leading a healthy lifestyle and avoiding long periods of sitting or standing.
Your appointment will usually take around 45-60 minutes, and it is nonsurgical, so you can resume your normal activities straight away. If you only have one affected vein, you might not need multiple vein treatment, but most people see the best results after 2-3 sessions. You will start to feel and see a difference after a few weeks, but it will take 2-3 months until your veins are completely gone.
Ligation and Stripping
Vein ligation and stripping is a minor surgery that involves removing (stripping) the affected part of the vein and tying off (ligating) the rest. In some cases, the vein can survive once the diseased part is removed. Ligation and stripping are usually done on large varicose veins that can’t easily be treated with other methods and can only be performed on people who don’t have other circulatory issues. Although it is a surgery, most patients don’t have to stay overnight.
Because ligation and stripping is a surgical procedure, you will need to rest for a few weeks afterward. You should have recovered after 2-4 weeks, but this will depend on how many veins were stripped. After four weeks, you can resume most of your normal activities, and you should notice that many of your varicose vein symptoms have disappeared.
Sclerotherapy
If you have small or medium-sized varicosities, we don’t need to do surgery and can use sclerotherapy instead. This involves injecting a chemical into the affected veins. This substance, called sodium tetradecyl sulfate, will scar your veins and eventually cause them to collapse. As a result, your body will break down and absorb the diseased vein, and your blood will find alternative pathways to travel through.
Like laser treatment, sclerotherapy is a nonsurgical method, so you won’t need to go through an extensive recovery period. Your results should appear within 3-6 weeks, but you may start to notice changes sooner. Most patients notice a 70-90% improvement in their condition within a few weeks. If you have many varicosities or they are larger, you are likely to need follow-up treatment.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is used to treat many different conditions and tissues, and it can be very successful on varicose veins. Using radiofrequency energy, the walls of your vein are heated up, causing them to collapse. This option is very similar to laser treatment, and the recovery process is just as short. It is performed under local anesthesia, so you’ll be back on your feet within a few hours or days.
For five to seven days after your treatment, you’ll need to avoid strenuous physical activity. You might start to see the first changes at that time, but your results will appear over time as your body breaks down the vein. After several weeks or even months, your varicose vein symptoms will have disappeared completely. As with other treatments, you may need several sessions if you have more than one varicosity.
VeinGogh
Spider veins and networks of veins can be treated with an innovative option called VeinGogh, which makes use of the Ohmic Thermolysis System. Micro-bursts of heat are used to target the little veins, making them fade from view over time. Because it is so targeted, this method can effectively remove the veins and minimize the risk of damage to the surrounding tissues.
Sessions are shorter than the other options, and you may be done after around 20 minutes. Depending on your condition and the state of your veins, you will need 1-3 treatments. After your session, you’ll be able to return home and resume your activities with very little downtime. You will notice some immediate changes to the appearance of veins, and the results will continue to intensify over the next weeks.
How You Will Be Treated
While your spider vein treatment will be different depending on which option is chosen, there are some commonalities. We will always begin by inviting you to the clinic for a consultation, so we can get to know you and your individual needs. Let’s explore what you can expect from your time with us.
Your Initial Consultation
Before deciding on how to best address your issues, Dr. Shaheen will meet with you and speak to you about your varicose veins. At this initial consultation, we ask you to bring all of your medical records and notes related to previous treatments, so we can see which solution might be suitable. We will also speak to you about your concerns and your desired results.
Once we have confirmed which laser vein treatments will work well, we can tell you more about it and give you pointers on how to best prepare for your sessions. Dr. Shaheen can also come up with a treatment plan, so you’ll know how many appointments you are likely to have and what kinds of results you can expect after each one.
Your Appointments
Our vein treatment differ, but most of them don’t take more than an hour. Since we want you to have a pleasant experience at our clinic, we will apply a local anesthetic to the treatment area. You won’t feel any pain during your session with us, and if you have any questions or concerns, don’t be afraid to voice them. After treatment is complete, you can go home, but it’s best if someone else picks you up and drives you.
Making the Most of Your Treatment
Before your vein treatment session, we will give you instructions about the recovery process. In many cases, you will be asked to wear compression stockings after the treatment, and we may tell you to avoid certain activities or drugs for a few weeks. You should also go for regular short walks to keep the blood flowing in your legs. Following these guidelines ensures that you will enjoy a quick recovery and the best results possible.
Aside from compression stockings, all of our treatments are designed to be permanent. Your varicosities will either be removed from your body or broken down internally, so they are unlikely to recur. Despite this, it’s important to support your treatment by living a healthy lifestyle. Avoid long periods of sitting and standing, do regular gentle exercise, and eat a balanced diet to minimize the chance of developing new varicose veins.
Get Your Varicosities Removed Now
Varicosities are not only a cosmetic concern, but they can also be extremely painful. In severe cases, this issue can affect your everyday life and even be the root cause of more severe conditions. For this reason, it’s important to receive vein treatment. While you can relieve your symptoms immediately with compression stockings, our other solutions may take several weeks or months to work.
Contact Dr. Shaheen at Advanced Biosculpt and Shaheen Vascular in Mountain View, CA to book your initial consultation. We will be happy to welcome you to the clinic and give you more details about the various treatments we offer. No matter how long you’ve been suffering from spider veins or varicosities, we can help you to find a solution and regain your smooth, blemish-free legs.
