Leg veins

[claudia]

I've been advised to get my varicose veins stripped by a surgeon. What are some of the alternatives? I'm not particularly keen on someone ripping out both of my leg veins.

[doctornev]

I've been advised to get my varicose veins stripped by a surgeon. What are some of the alternatives? I'm not particularly keen on someone ripping out both of my leg veins.

In my opinion varicose veins is primarily a surgical problem. It is caused by incompetent (sick) veins that allow lots of blood to flow from your deep veins under your muscles and into your visible surface veins. The result are unsightly large veins visible at the skin level (varicose veins). In my opinion this is best treated by surgeons who strip out the sick vein thus stopping the abnormal flow of blood.

Other "non-invasive" treatments include the injection of sclerotherapy agents or laser to try to coagulate the visible veins. I do this for small visible veins but only after the sick vein is first treated. To try to treat varicose veins with sclerotherapy before you take out the sick vein is a bit like trying to hold back the flood with a mop. The mop (sclerotherapy) is to mop up the small stuff after the big flood is stopped.