Are my varicose vein treatments permanent and is it normal to get treated again?
This is a great question and one we get all the time during our patient consultations. We know it can be scary when considering treatment for your varicose veins. It’s normal to have apprehension for something we don’t know much about. But, rest assured, today’s modern techniques and our professional medical staff at the Vein Institute of New Jersey are here to make your experience simple, comfortable and pain-free.
To be upfront and transparent with you, varicose vein treatments are permanent solutions -- but on a temporary basis! With Sclerotherapy and Foam Sclerotherapy, the veins are permanently treated yet the treatment can't prevent new veins from occurring in the future.
Most patients with varicose veins are genetically predisposed to the problem and will almost always develop new veins. These new veins might appear soon after treatment or they may appear years later - or anytime in between. Once patients are initially treated, they come back for "touch ups" to keep the problem at bay. So, it’s quite normal to visit us multiple times in order to get the look and comfort you are trying to achieve for your legs.
Multiple Varicose Vein Treatment Options
There are multiple treatment options for enlarged, tortuous veins, commonly referred to as varicose veins, or varicosities. Varicose veins are symptoms of venous insufficiency and while ugly and sometimes painful, they are NOT life-threatening or dangerous. Treatment options may include Injection or Foam Sclerotherapy, Laser or Radiofrequency Ablation, Microphlebectomy and Vein Stripping. The surgical options include Ablation, Phlebectomy and Vein Stripping, which are permanent treatment options. In these procedures, the vein is either ablated or surgically removed so it cannot return. However, these big veins might have been hiding smaller veins, or spider veins. Once again, even though the larger veins are gone, smaller ones might appear later. Sclerotherapy can be utilized to resolve the problem.
So answering the question "Are my varicose vein treatments permanent?" is a tricky one. In all honesty the answer is “yes”, but it is unfair not to point out the genetic component, which means you very well might get more veins - different veins - but more nonetheless.
To further understand how likely vein treatment permanence is for you, schedule an appointment with one of our vein treatment specialists who have a wide array of experience with the various treatment options and can discuss your situation with complete knowledge of the best treatment options available.