HELPING
PATIENTS

VEIN TREATMENTS

Unsightly, dilated veins represent a common reason for consultation in clinics. They can be located at different locations in your body, but the ones that are, by far, the most treated are leg veins and face veins.

These dilated veins may range from simple thread veins or spider veins to the bulging and dilated varicose veins, which may need in some instances a proper surgical operation. But also other commonly seen lesions, such as angiomas and red spots, are of vascular origin, and can be successfully treated. In most cases they start as a cosmetic issue,being this the main reason for consultation. But if left untreated, these fine veins may evolve to more visible and potentially serious conditions.

Interestingly, all these dilated veins, from spider veins to varicose veins, are the visible signs of a circulatory problem, which is known in the lower limbs as chronic venous insufficiency or CVI. This is the reason why thread veins, spider veins , reticular veins and , of course, varicose veins should be treated in the first place. They are not just a “cosmetic problem”, as some patients are told on occasions by other medical professionals.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Treatment options are different for thread veins and spider veins and varicose veins. Thread veins can be treated with sclerotherapy, but also using other energy-based methods, such as lasers. A very innovative equipment, called Thermavein, uses a technique known as “thermocoagulation” and is probably one of the best treatments to eliminate face veins and other vascular lesions.

For varicose veins, more invasive options are used, using laser, radiofrequency and of course, surgery. Endoluminal techniques avoid the need of surgery, as they use an ultrasound.guided technique to introduce a catheter inside the lumen diseased vein (hence the name of “endoluminal”) and use different methods to eliminate the vein. They have been proven as effective as surgery, and have made possible to treat these varicose veins without hospitalisation.

A new, endoluminal method uses a medical glue to occlude the veins in a matter of minutes, and without the need of an operating theatre or hospitalisation. It is called Venablock ™ and it has been introduced in the UK by Dr. Almeida and Zeela Medical Ltd.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD TO TREAT MY LEG VEINS?

There is no such “best method” as it will depend on the type of veins to be treated. For bulging, dilated, varicose veins, the best method will be Venablock (glue ablation of saphenous vein) combined with foam sclerotherapy (to treat the tributary veins draining into the “main pipeline”, aka saphenous vein. These treatments can be performed in an office setting, without the need of hospitalisation.
For thread veins, aka spider veins, microsclerotherapy is the treatment of choice,m which can be combined at times with laser or Thermavein treatment.

DOES SCLEROTHERAPY HURT?

Although this is an injectable treatment, it is delivered using a very small and thin needle, so in many cases you will only feel a tiny sharp prick, and sometimes, not even that. When the sclerosant solution is injected, you may feel a bit of a stingy sensation, but that’s all.

WILL MY VEINS DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY AS I’VE SEEN IN SOME VIDEOS?

Veins are seen because the blood flows within them, so when no blood is present, no vein is seen. In the videos you are mentioning, when the solution is injected, this removes the blood inside the vein and seems like the vein is miraculously gone. But what the videos don’t show is that after a few seconds, the blood will re enter the vein and the vein will be visible again. The irritating action of the sclerosant solution stays and then a process called sclerosis ensues, and this will eventually seal the vein.

DO I NEED TO WEAR COMPRESSION STOCKINGS AFTER THE TREATMENT?

Absolutely Yes!. Compression stockings are a critical part of the treatment of lower limb veins. With compression, the vein remains occluded and by doing so, the sclerosis process is facilitated (whether with laser or sclerosis). Compression stockings also prevent the blood from entering the vein and minimises the possibility of post treatment hyperpigmentation. And improves the overall blood flow in your legs. So for all these reasons, yes, compression stockings are definitely indicated if you want to achieve good results.

WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR THREAD VEINS ON FACE?

Although several treatment options are available, without any doubt, the best treatment for thread veins and broken veins on the face is Thermavein. The reason is that Thermavein targets the vessel, not the blood (as is the case for lasers), so the results are seen immediately after the treatment, and in most cases, only 1 session is needed. And the best of it, it is pain free!

ABOUT DR. ALMEIDA

As a Consultant surgeon, Dr. Almeida has been treating vein conditions for 2 decades, and he has personally performed thousands of these procedures at different clinics in Europe. He also teaches and trains medical professionals on these vein techniques. Therefore, if you need a skilled and expert professional to deal with your vein problem, whether cosmetic or more medical. Dr. Almeida is your “go-to” expert.

To BOOK A FREE, NON-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION WITH DR. ALMEIDA, please CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW

Don’t fancy a call? Alternatively, you can connect with Dr. Arturo on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn or complete this form and our team will contact you as soon as possible.

    By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.