If you’ve been living in fear of wearing shorts or cute skirts because your legs are covered in varicose veins, then it’s time for you to change your life with varicose vein treatment.
How Varicose Veins Form
Varicose veins are those bothersome blue or red veins that bulge just under your skin. The truth is that they form in a rather simple way. Inside every vein there is a valve that is supposed to allow blood to flow in only one single direction: back towards the heart where goes to be re-oxygenated. However, sometimes they valve is damaged or malfunctions in some way. In these cases, blood will begin to move in the wrong direction. It will then start to pool in the vein, causing the vein wall to bulge, which is what leads to the formation of a varicose vein.
Who Varicose Veins Affect
Varicose veins can affect almost anyone; however, certain people are more prone to developing them. Women, more than men, are at risk for varicose veins, partly due to the fact that the hormone estrogen can affect vein walls. As such, women who take hormonal birth control have a greater risk of developing varicose veins.
Other factors that increase your risk for varicose veins are if you have a family history, if you are overweight, if you are older, or if you are pregnant. Also, if you stand or still for long periods of uninterrupted time, then you could also be more at risk for varicose veins. This is due to the fact that sitting and standing for too long makes it harder for your veins to pump blood back to the heart.
The Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Normally, varicose veins will present with no adverse symptoms beyond those unsightly bulges. However, if left untreated, varicose veins can cause a whole host of issues. Varicose veins have been known to make legs feel achy, heavy, or itchy. Sometimes, they can even cause leg cramping or pain. Generally, it’s recommended that you consider varicose vein treatment so that they don’t lead to more serious health issues in the future.
Change Your Life with Varicose Vein Treatment
The most popular way to treat varicose veins is with sclerotherapy. This treatment involves injecting a safe chemical into the affected vein. This chemical will then cause the vein wall to seal shut, preventing blood from moving through it, thus eliminating the varicose vein.
Laser therapy is another option for treating varicose veins. This treatment uses a laser that sends a burst of heat energy through the skin and into the varicose vein, which also causes the vein wall to close. Another type of laser treatment entails inserting a tube and a tiny probe into the varicose vein in order to deliver heat energy that will seal the vein shut.
To learn more about varicose veins and the treatments available, visit Pacific Vein Care in McHenry, IL. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!