Vein Care

Spider veins are close to the skin’s surface and may look thin and wispy like spider webs, or thick and squiggly like branches. They are similar to varicose veins, only thinner. We tend to think of spider veins as a cosmetic problem. However, if you have spider veins along with any other symptoms of vein disease (for example: stinging, throbbing, aching, burning, itching), then an underlying medical issue may be causing the spider veins.

An evaluation with The Vein Guys™ and an ultrasound test will determine if your spider veins are cosmetic in nature or a result of venous insufficiency. In either case, The Vein Guys™ offer treatments that will reduce the unsightly veins.

The solutions and techniques we use make this process easier, faster, and less painful than ever before.

Sclerotherapy reduces spider veins while improving the appearance of the legs. A very small needle is used to inject a solution (called a ‘sclerosant’) into the vein. The sclerosant irritates the lining of the spider vein, causing it to close – the vein then fades over the course of 4-6 weeks*. The procedure takes about 30-60 minutes, depending on how many veins are being treated. In some cases, patients may need more than one treatment to help reduce all unwanted veins.

Patients can resume most normal activities right away. For optimal results, patients should wear compression stockings for 5 to 7 days after the procedure. Patients are also advised to avoid the sun, hot tubs, swimming pools, and tanning beds for about 3 weeks.

Sclerotherapy has been used to treat veins for more than 100 years – since then, the procedure and solutions have improved significantly. In the past, a saline solution was most commonly used.
Today, more effective solutions are available, and the newer agents do not sting or burn and have fewer side effects.
The Vein Guys™ specialize in choosing the sclerosant that will be most effective for each patient.

Foam sclerotherapy is used for longer, larger veins.

The sclerosant solution is mixed with air or CO2 to create a foam. Foams have a greater surface area than liquids, so a lower concentration covers more of the damaged vein while adhering to the vein wall more effectively, causing faster shrinkage of the vein.

Ultrasound is used as a guide when treating larger veins with sclerotherapy. It allows the surgeon to find the exact location of the diseased vein to inject the sclerosant solution.

* Results may vary.

Veins are blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from the outer parts of the body to the heart. When a vein becomes thick, enlarged, or full of twists and turns it is called a varicose vein. Varicose veins can occur when the valves in the leg veins become weak or diseased and no longer function properly, causing blood to pool in the legs.

Varicose veins are the most obvious and visual symptoms of vein disease, but vein disease can also occur without any visible signs. Other symptoms include aching, throbbing, itchy, numb, burning, cramping, swollen, tired, fatigued or heavy legs, ankles and feet, skin discoloration, open sores or ulcers.

The Vein Guys™ offer treatment for varicose veins and can improve the symptoms of vein disease.

The Vein Guys™ use the Venefit™ procedure (formerly called VNUS Closure™), or endovenous radio-frequency ablation, to treat vein disease. We have chosen this procedure because it is clinically proven to be an effective means of treating varicose veins and their underlying cause, venous reflux. It is a minimally invasive procedure with less pain and less bruising compared to traditional vein stripping surgery and laser treatment.

Using the Venefit™ system, physicians close the diseased or damaged vein. This is done by inserting a catheter into a vein and heating the vein wall using temperature-controlled radio-frequency energy. Heating the vein wall causes collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close. After the vein is sealed shut, blood naturally reroutes to healthy veins and the body dissolves the closed vein over time.

The procedure is done in the office, takes about 15 minutes, and patients walk away from the procedure and typically return to their normal activities within a day. Venefit™ uses two types of instruments to close the vein, the ClosureFAST™ Catheter and the ClosureRFS™ Stylet. The Vein Guys™’ surgeons will determine which is right for each patient based on the type of vein disease they have.

We adhere to the highest quality and standards in vein care treatment and surgery and, for this reason we do not reprocess catheters or use reprocessed catheters like others do in vein care practices, clinics, and institutes.

The Venefit™ procedure is the most common procedure currently used for treating superficial veins with venous reflux disease. Venefit™ uses The ClosureFAST™ catheter with either a 6.5 cm or 3 cm electrode to generate radiofrequency waves to heat and collapse the vein wall. The catheter is used to close the greater saphenous vein, lesser saphenous vein or the shorter access branches off these veins.

Healthy leg veins have valves that keep blood flowing to the heart. Venous reflux disease, also known as chronic venous disease, develops when the valves stop working properly and allow blood to flow backward (i.e., reflux) and pool in the lower leg veins. If venous reflux disease is left untreated, symptoms can worsen over time.
As a result, vein valves will not close properly, leading to symptoms such as:

• Varicose veins
• Leg pain, aching or cramping Leg or ankle swelling
• Leg heaviness and fatigue
• Skin changes or rashes
• Ulcers, open wounds or sores

How prevalent is venous reflux disease?

• Venous reflux disease, also known as chronic venous insufficiency, affects more than 30 million Americans.
• Varicose veins, a common symptom of venous reflux disease, can affect up to 40 percent of adults.
• Varicose veins are more common in those who are overweight, and in women who have had more than two pregnancies.
• Women usually have multiple risk factors for the development of varicose veins. In fact, varicose veins are most common in women (75 percent of those diagnosed) than in men (25 percent of those diagnosed).
• Up to 55 percent of American women may be affected by varicose veins in their lifetime.
• It is common for varicose veins to become more prominent during pregnancy and worsen with successive pregnancies.

What is the VenaSeal™ closure system?

The VenaSeal™ closure system is the only non-thermal, non-tumescent, non-sclerosant procedure approved for use in the U.S. that uses a specially formulated medical adhesive that closes the diseased vein. The procedure is administered without the use of tumescent anesthesia, minimizing the need for multiple needle sticks. Patients also report minimal-to-no bruising post procedure.

Currently, VenaSeal™ is a self-pay procedure.

How does it work? 

During the procedure, one of our Vein Guys™ physicians fills a syringe with the medical adhesive, which is inserted into the VenaSeal™ closure system’s dispensing gun that is attached to a catheter. The catheter is advanced into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. The catheter is placed in specific areas along the diseased vein and the clinician conducts a series of trigger pulls to deliver the medical adhesive. Compression is applied to the leg during the procedure.

How quickly can patients return to normal activities post procedures?
The VenaSeal™ closure system procedure is designed to minimize patient discomfort and reduce recovery time.  After the procedure, a small bandage will be placed at the access site. Patients are able to return to normal activities following the treatment. Additionally, patients have reported minimal bruising following the VenaSealTM closure system procedure.