Misconceptions About Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are a widely held condition that many of us in Australia experience, yet not many of us know what they are and how they can be treated…
At Ashbury Cosmetic Surgery in Brisbane and Gold Coast we want to help clear up any misconceptions about the cause of varicose veins, the treatment and preventive methods. To start, let’s clear up what in fact are varicose veins. Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and then tortuous. You can develop varicose veins anywhere on your body, however they most commonly appear in the veins on the leg.
1# Only women can get varicose veins
This is not true, in fact many men suffer from the effects of varicose veins. The essential element in the cause of varicose veins is what is called valvular insufficiency. And since we have veins running through our bodies we are all susceptible to this condition. Valvular insufficiency occurs because the vavles in your legs or elsewhere do not work properly. Blood normally flows from the feet up the legs through a series of valves which close as the muscles contract. When these valves become weakened and over stretched the blood is unable to go through these valves it will go around the valve and through the skin to form the varicosities and spider veins. The amount of men with varicose veins is comparable to that of women; however, more often we see women getting treatment while men tend to leave their veins untreated.
2# You can only get varicose veins during pregnancy
While pregnancy can lead to the development of varicose veins, it is not the only reason why women develop them. During pregnancies the pressure of the baby leaning on the pelvic veins can cause stretching of the veins which, in turn, leads to stretching of the valves. The valves, over the course of the pregnancy, will lose their ability to close properly and this could result in varicose veins.
3# Varicose veins are only a cosmetic problem
Varicose veins can be a sign of circulatory malfunctions within your body, the valves in your vein that prevent the backwards blood flow become broken and because of this the blood backs up causing the vein to swell. Those with serious varicose vein problems experience pain and discomfort, which is why all varicose vein problems should be addressed immediately.
4# I have to undergo surgery to get my varicose veins removed
In the past, surgery was the solution to varicose vein removal. However, new treatment means that we can reduce your varicose veins with non-invasive treatment. At Ashbury Cosmetic Surgery in Brisbane and Gold Coast, we offer innovative methods that have proven extremely effective in removing the appearance of varicose and spider veins.
Sclerotherapy– this technique involves the injection of a liquid that causes your varicose veins to shrink. The treatment works to collapse the vein and become reabsorbed by the body, this treatment method is recommended for people with varicose or spider veins that are of a larger size.
Laser treatment– this technique is used to reduce varicose and spider veins with a pinpoint laser that targets specific areas of the body using pulsing beams of light. This causes the visible veins to collapse and become reabsorbed by the body, effectively decreasing its visible state.
Endo Venous Laser Therapy (EVLT)– EVLT is often considered to be a high-tech version of sclerotherapy and involves inserting a tiny catheter or laser fibre in to the affected vein. A radio frequency or laser energy ablation is then sent into the affected vein, which shrinks and seals it shut.
At Ashbury Cosmetic in Brisbane and Gold Coast, we are determined to educate our patients about the best treatments for them and we hope by sharing our knowledge that some of the misconceptions surrounding varicose veins can be better understood by the general public.
If you are interested in finding out more about this procedure or our other treatments, we recommend that you contact one of our clinics in Brisbane at 07 385 761 88 or the Gold Coast at 07 557 068 00.