Varicose veins, the bulging and palpable bluish or purple shaded veins, appear mostly on the legs and become more prevalent as we age. In most of the cases, it is not a cause of worry except for cosmetic issues. But on rare occasions, serious complications such as skin ulcers, soft tissue infections, and superficial thrombophlebitis have been reported in medical circles. It is always a good idea for the patients with varicose veins to refer a health care professional for further examination, says the surgeon of Karishma Cosmetic and Laser Clinic, a most sought after medical centre for Endovenous Laser Treatment In Pune.

Causes

Veins are tubular vessels in our body that take back the de-oxygenated blood back to the heart for recycling. The open and closed action of non return valves situated inside the veins restrict blood from getting stagnated and flow backwards. The varicose problem arises when the valves become weak and allow blood to flow back and accumulate in the veins. Although the problem of varicose veins can occur at any part of the body, the probability is very high in feet and legs as prolonged walking, sitting or standing positions exerts additional pressure on them.

Treatment options available

Although on most of the occasions varicose veins are not life threatening, patients do prefer to take treatment for cosmetic reasons. Availing compression treatment is one of the easiest options to control varicose veins that are in initial stages. But availing further treatments for varicose veins is a good decision, considering the fact that it can translate down the lane into further problems. Some of the general treatment options for treatment of varicose veins are

• Foam Sclerotherapy – injection of foam through vein to create sealing of vessel and destroy it thereby.
• Laser ablation – Destruction of varicose veins using the thermal heat created by lasers
• Vein stripping – Surgical option in which the abnormal varicose veins are stripped or removed.

Which is the best treatment?

Akin to many other problems, the usual question of ‘which treatment to choose’ again pops up for varicose treatment also. Fortunately a survey conducted among the patients in United Kingdom aids us in selection. The size of the participants of the survey was close to 800 and had undergone one of the above mentioned three treatment procedures. The conditions of the treated patients were evaluated after a period of six months to analyze

• Effectiveness of the treatment
• Surfacing of complications
• Perception of the patients about the change in quality of life

The findings indicated that the patients who had chosen laser route were happy with the results and had developed very less complications when compared with those who had opted either for foam sclerotherapy or vein stripping.  But the effectiveness of the treatment (ablation of great saphenous vein) was quite high and found to be more or less same for both laser and surgery options.

Hence it is quite clear that the laser ablation is the best possible procedure to achieve good success rate and least quantum of complications. A Varicose Veins Doctor In Pune further adds that the laser ablation comes as a savior who does not want to go under the knife. However it should be noted, laser ablation procedure is generally not recommended for varicose veins that are larger than 20 mm or very close to skin surface.

Who should offer treatment?

As it is most likely a cosmetic procedure in the leg and foot area, patients on few occasions tend to overlook the necessity to visit an expert varicose specialist. It is not so. It is of paramount importance, whatever is your treatment method – surgery or laser, to approach an expert surgeon for the remedial action and treatment.

Nevertheless, varicose veins can be avoided or at-least delayed for their occurrence by adopting suitable preventive measures such as suitable lifestyle habits.