How to Treat Varicose Veins

Varicose veins can be unsightly and, in some cases, cause health problems, including aches and pains in the affected area. But with treatments, including laser ablation and advanced forms of sclerotherapy, varicose vein removal is a safe and easy procedure. These are some of the most popular procedures that our vascular doctors perform. The Vein Institute of New Jersey has seven (7) convenient locations throughout northern New Jersey in Clifton, Livingston, Morristown, Princeton, Rockaway, Shrewsbury and Westfield.

Sclerotherapy, the most popular treatment for varicose veins, utilizes a sclerosant – a chemical that causes scarring in the veins - resulting in the vein withering and dissolving. The sclerosant is injected directly into the varicose vein, and it may be administered in either a liquid or foam form. The common liquid sclerosants used today are pilodocanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate. In foam sclerotherapy, the medication is suspended in tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide or air right before it is injected. Among other benefits, when in a foam state, sclerosing agents have more contact with the vessel wall thereby increasing its effectiveness. Either liquid or foam may be administered via ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy techniques when treating veins that cannot be seen at the skin level. The use of ultrasound increases the precision of the removal of the deeper varicose veins, while also making it easier to treat a wide network of varicose veins reliably and safely.

Lasers are best geared for eliminating the underlying causes of varicose veins—namely, an incompetent (or poorly functioning) saphenous vein. For small varicose veins just under the surface of the skin, lasers that target the upper layers of the skin can eliminate the veins in one or a series of treatments. For larger varicose veins caused by saphenous incompetency, endovenous laser treatment (EVLT), using ultrasound guidance, is a preferred therapy. The laser fiber, passed through a catheter directly into the vein, allows precise delivery of the laser energy.

Of course there’s much more to know about treatments for varicose veins, which you learn here. If you have a vein problem you’re concerned about, it may be easier and simpler to eliminate than you realize. One of our vascular doctors specializing in the treatment of vein disorders can advise you on all your treatment options.