For those prone to developing varicose veins, and who have decided to undergo treatment to remove them, it’s common to think that after treatment there will be no need to worry about the reappearance of this uncomfortable and unsightly problem. Or at least, not until a long time has passed.
While this may be true, there are nevertheless several precautions you can take to minimize the chance of varicose veins returning after treatment.
What Causes Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are the “big brothers” of spider veins – they’re caused by poorly functioning valves that fail to prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction, away from the heart. The blood pools up, increases the local blood pressure, and eventually weakens the vein walls. This in turn causes the unsightly and painful twisting and enlargement that is the mark of varicose veins.
In some cases patients are genetically predisposed to circulatory problems that cause varicose veins. In other cases, they can be caused by excess weight, pregnancy, tumors, surgery, accidents, and even constipation.
Why Do Varicose Veins Reappear After Treatment?
Varicose veins are ultimately symptoms of other problems, so even if the veins are treated, unless the underlying causes are not also addressed, the problem can be expected to eventually return after treatment.
It may also be that your varicose vein treatment was not sufficiently thorough – perhaps not all damaged veins were properly identified before treatment, or the treatment itself was inadequate or poorly executed.
Pre-Treatment Precautions
Choose Your Provider With Care
As in so many other areas, choosing a qualified and experienced provider is vital to obtaining the most effective treatment, avoiding scarring, and minimizing the long-term risk of the problem reappearing after treatment. Your provider will be responsible for identifying damaged veins (including those that may not yet be apparent), then choosing the most appropriate technique(s) to treat them, and finally providing counseling on the best ways to prevent their return. This is an area where ensuring that your provider is a qualified physician is especially important – choosing the best treatment should take into account your prior medical history.
Effective Screening
In many cases your provider will perform (or request) various screening tests prior to treatment – this will help them determine the full extent of the problem, and allows them to tailor your treatment to include potential future problem areas – even if these are not immediately visible.
Post-Treatment Precautions
Monitoring Healing
Your physician will need to monitor you after treatment, to ensure that healing is progressing normally, and possibly to suggest ways to treat any ongoing medical problems that might cause varicose veins to reappear later on.
Staying Healthy
As vein damage is indicative of other health problems, staying (or getting) healthy will certainly help minimize chances of reoccurrence. This means getting appropriate exercise, eating healthily, and avoiding situations that can cause circulatory problems. You should also try to avoid extended periods either sitting or standing.
Resolving Other Medical Issues
Depending on your circumstances the physician may also suggest ways to address any ongoing medical issues that might increase your chance of having future problems. This might be in the form of referrals to vascular specialists, or perhaps weight loss counseling.
Vein Therapy in Los Angeles
We offer both sclerotherapy and laser vein therapy treatments in our Los Angeles clinic. For more information, contact Your Laser Skin Care for a free consultation. We will discuss how these treatments can help your particular symptoms, as well as how best to address the medical causes behind your symptoms.
