While most cases of varicose veins pose only cosmetic issues and require no treatment, in certain cases your doctor may recommend treating them to address symptoms like pain or swelling. Thankfully, there are a number of effective options when it comes to reducing or even eliminating varicose veins. Even though some treatments are surgical, they are minimally invasive outpatient procedures.
Compression Stockings
These are usually the first step in treating varicose veins, since they’re the least invasive option of treatment. Compression stockings provide constant support against your legs, which allows your circulatory system to better transport blood through your veins. Unfortunately, this means that they must be worn all day. Fit is extremely important when it comes to compression stockings, so be sure to take measurements before you purchase them.
Laser Surgery
As technology improves, laser surgery is increasingly becoming another viable 100% noninvasive means of treating varicose veins. For this procedure, doctors will direct the laser towards your legs and use bursts of light to seal the offending veins shut.
Sclerotherapy
Like laser surgery, the goal of sclerotherapy is to seal varicose veins shut. However, this procedure is more invasive because it involves your doctor using a needle to inject your veins with a solution that will cause them to close. While sclerotherapy is effective, it usually requires multiple sessions to successfully treat varicose veins.
Vein Stripping
Vein stripping involves the removal of a varicose vein through small incisions in the leg. Despite the invasive nature of this process, it’s typically regarded as an outpatient procedure. Vein stripping does not negatively impact your legs’ ability to circulate blood, since it removes veins near the surface instead of the larger, deeper ones.
Endoscopic Surgery
This procedure is normally only done if you are at risk of ulcers because of your varicose veins. For this, doctors insert a small camera into your leg to both close off and remove veins through a small incision. While this is an outpatient surgery, it still requires a week or two of recovery time afterwards.
