Treatment of varicose veins -- the large bulging veins -- involves a consultation, an ultrasound evaluation, and usually treatment of an underlying abnormal vein that is causing the bulging veins on the surface. All of this is usually covered by insurance, including the Closure procedure. Sclerotherapy for the surface varicose veins is generally not covered. Sclerotherapy for spider vein treatment is not covered. Kaiser insurance does not cover treatment outside of its own physicians and facilities, of course. You may call our office to get more specific information about your insurance plan, since they all vary. Our office # is 791-8346.   [less]

This is called staining. It is not uncommon as a temporary blemish after sclerotherapy or laser. Occasionally it will leave a dark mark that can take 1 or 2 years to go away, and sometimes it can leave a permanent mark. Some people have a greater risk of this than others. Darker skin is said to be more prone to staining, and the worst stains I've seen have been with olive or darker complexioned people. But it can also occur in some fair-skinned people. Again, it's usually temporary. But it's a good reason to get your sclerotherapy done in the winter when you can hide the stains with long pants or skirts. An important treatment consideration to avoid staining in most people is to treat the underlying vein abnormalities that cause the spider veins. If there is continued congestion into the area from an abnormal vein, there is more risk for staining. Treating spider veins well requires recognizing these underlying abnormalities when possible. Anyone doing vein treatment should have an ultrasound to assess people for this when necessary.  [less]

I take the approach that spider vein treatment is a process, not an event. How long it takes to treat depends on how extensive the spider veins are. Those with a few may need one session. But we've had patients who take many months to complete treating extensive spider veins. Most spider veins have at least one accompanying "feeder vein" that must be appreciated and treated. We usually treat the feeder vein with the first treatment, then treat the spiders at a second treatment about 3 weeks later. Sometimes we treat both -- if there are just a few to treat. With darker spider veins, another treatment may be desireable, but I recommend waiting at least 3 months after completing the first sessions. Of course, those follow-up sessions can usually be done in one sitting since the feeder veins have already been treated. And, people can always develop more feeders and more spiders. Visit our website veinfocus.com to see a complete discussion of spider veins and their treatment. I should mention that we see many people who have had spider veins treated by non-specialists, and the most common cause of poor results is failure to treat the feeder veins.  [less]

A solution is injected into a vein causing a chemical injury resulting in the vein closing through a scar-like reaction. It is most effective when underlying sources of venous reflux have been treated. Leg wrapping or stockings are used following the injections, depending on the size of vein injected.  [less]

Conditions contributing to varicose veins include genetics, obesity, pregnancy, hormonal changes at menopause, work or hobbies requiring extended standing, and past vein diseases such as thrombophlebitis (i.e. inflammation of a vein as a blood clot forms.) Women suffer from varicose veins more than men, and the incidence increases to 50% of people over age 50.  [less]

The normal function of leg veins - both the deep veins in the leg and the superficial veins - is to carry blood back to the heart. During walking, for instance, the calf muscle acts as a pump, contracting veins and forcing blood back to the heart. To prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction, veins have numerous valves. If the valves fail blood flows back into superficial veins and back down the leg, known as venous reflux. This results in surface veins enlarging and becoming varicose. The process is like blowing air into a balloon without letting the air flow out again- the balloon swells. To succeed, treatment must stop this reverse flow at the highest site or sites of valve failure. In the legs, veins close to the surface of the skin drain into larger veins, such as the saphenous vein, which run up to the groin. Damaged valves in the saphenous vein are often the cause of reversed blood flow back down into the surface.   [less]

Varicose veins--which afflict 10% to 20% of all adults --are enlarged, sometimes bluish, veins extending down the leg, or occurring in bunches, like grapes, or in snakelike curves beneath the surface of the skin. Unsightly and uncomfortable, varicose leg veins can cause aching, heaviness, and tiredness in the legs. They can be accompanied by swelling in the ankles and feet, and itching of the skin. They may occur in almost any part of the leg but are most often seen on the inside of the leg between the groin and the ankle or in the back of the calf. Left untreated, patient symptoms are likely to worsen, and sometimes leads to venous ulceration (open non-healing sores at the ankles).   [less]