If you have tired achy legs or unsightly bluish discolorations and swelling of your legs, become one of the hundreds of thousands who have changed their lives with Laser and Sclerotherapy of their Varicose and Spider Veins.

WHAT ARE VEINS ANYWAY?

Veins are the blood vessels that return used or deoxygenated blood back to the heart to be reoxygenated. Arteries take fresh oxygenated blood to our organs and muscles. Healthy veins have one way valves that allow our muscles to push this blood back to the heart.

ABOUT YOUR VEINS

Veins are part of the body's circulatory system, along with the heart, arteries, and capillaries. This amazing system contains an estimated 60,000 miles of vessels that reach trillions of living cells.

Like arteries, veins are composed of three layers and a hollow core of lumen through which blood flow. The inner layer (or intima) is the sensory part and is able to detect pressure and chemicals. The thick middle layer (or media) is composed of some elastic fibers, smooth muscle, and white fibrous tissue. The outer layer (or adrentitia) consists of elastic and coliagenous fibers. Although veins don't have the elasticity of arteries, they are able to stretch and to accommodate changes in the volume and pressure of the blood flowing through them.

Veins are more numerous than arteries. In venous circulation, blood flows from the superficial veins to the deep veins. The superficial just beneath the surface of the skin are used when drawing g blood or giving injections. They collect the blood of the skin and play an important role in regulating body temperature. Superficial veins are connected to each other by communicating veins and are connected to deep veins by perforating veins. Deep veins are located near principal arteries. In the lower extremities, 90% of the blood volume flows through the deep veins, while only 10% flows through's superficial veins.

Since blood pressure in veins is normally much lower than in arteries, veins walls are weaker than artillery walls. By the time the blood reaches the veins, particularly in the lower extreme ties, the hydrostatic pressure it exerts on vein walls averages only 2mmHG. The pressure pushing blood through the veins in a standing adult is barely enough to overcome the force of gravity pushing the blood back down.

WHAT ARE VARICOSE VEINS?

When these valves fail, our veins become swollen and dilated with stagnant blood. We see this as bluish swollen blood vessels which are most visible on the upper and lower legs. We feel this with aching and pain in our legs.

VARICOSE VEINS

If the blood in the veins of the legs does not move efficiently back to the heart, it begins to pool in the veins. When this happens, the pressure within threes vessels rises, causing vein walls to weaken and stretch or distend As more and more blood pools, distention prevents the valves in the veins from coming together properly. Under normal conditions, these valves would open to allow blood to flow up the leg and then close to prevent blood from flowing back down the leg. When the vein is distended and the valves cannot close properly, blood flows backwards,which increases blood pressure in the vein even more. At this point, varicose veins can be the unfortunate result.

Varicose veins are visibly enlarged veins that are often bluish in color and may appear twisted. They can be painful, or they may cause no discomfort at all. If the deeper veins in the legs are healthy, varicose veins may only be a cosmetic problem. However, a person with varicose has a greater chance of developing phlebitis (inflammation of the vein), thrombophelebitis (inflammation of a vein with a blood clot), or deep vein thrombosis (deep clot in a deep vein that can break away, lodge in the lungs, and become life threatening)

WHY DO VEINS FAIL?

Veins fail for many reasons; heredity, mechanical and hormonal effects of pregnancy and poor muscle tone. Vessels greater than 1/4 inch in diameter and blue in colour are generally called Varicose Veins. Those smaller, are called Spider Veins or Telangiectasias, and are blue or more reddish and occur on the face and upper legs.

VENOUS CIRCULATION

The circulatory system, comprised of the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system, contains an estimated 60,000 miles of vessels reaching trillions of living cells. About 7200 quarts of blood pass through the heart in 24 hours. About 35 trillion erythrocytes transport oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from cells in the body tissues. The blood also delivers nutrients and regulatory hormones, and removes waste products at the cellular level. Leukocytes and lymph provide immunity against disease.

Veins are a part of the body's circulatory system, along with the heart, arteries, and capillaries. This amazing system contains an estimated 60,000 miles of vessels that reach trillions of living cells.

The heart is a muscle that pumps about 7200 quarts of blood pass through the heart in 24 hours. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart and throughout the body to the tiny capillaries. In the capillaries, body cells exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen and waste products for nutrients. Veins carry the deoxygenated blood back to the heart, which then then pumps it to the lungs to release its carbon dioxide and pick up more oxygen. From there, the newly oxygenated blood returns to the heart, and the cycle begins again. This cycle of circulation is essential to sustain life.

By the time blood reaches the veins, the force of the heartbeat is weak. Blood fights gravity as it struggles to flow effectively up through the veins veins to the legs. The heart needs extra pumping help and gets it from the muscles in the feet and calves, which surround the deep veins. The rhythmical contraction and relaxation of these muscles as a person walks squeezes and releases the veins to help move blood up the leg. This "calf muscle pump" reaches its maximum effectiveness after only 7 steps!

Additional help comes from special, one-way valves within the veins. These valves open to allow blood to flow up the vein, then close to prevent any backflow. Venous valves help to keep blood flowing in the right direction, from the surface or superficial veins to the deep veins and eventually back to the heart.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Legs and Life

1. Muscles contract with each step and squeeze the veins. The valves lead the venous blood in the right direction
2. The sole of the feet through its "venous sponge" pushes the blood up into the leg with each step.
3. Respiration plays a role in bringing the blood from the legs to the abdomen and from the abdomen to the heart.

 

IN CASE OF A BREAKDOWN

Legs and Life

The Blood no longer goes up in the body: it stagnates.

WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?

All varicose veins regardless of their size receive a careful evaluation from our physicians to ensure that they are not symptomatic of more serious venous disease. Our evaluation will help us to recommend which treatment is best for you.

 

 

 

Sclerotherapy

When veins are swollen and bluish they generally can't be repaired. Treatment involves using microneedles to inject small amounts of medicine into the diseased veins. This treatment generally causes very little pain and causes the vein to turn pale an gradually disappear. Veins are treated from the largest to the smallest and may take several treatments. Each treatment takes approximately 15 minutes and may consist of several injections.

 

 

 

 

Laser Vein Therapy

Treatment consists of our physicians adjusting the laser to deliver a very precise dosage of light energy to the diseased vein. This light energy is absorbed only by this vein and not the surrounding tissue. This energy causes the blood in the vein to coagulate and eventually cause the body to remove the diseased vein by absorbing it in the body. Different types of lasers are used for different types of veins.

 

 

WHAT OTHER TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?

In more severe cases of varicose veins Sclerotherapy and Laser Therapy may not be effective until other treatment options are first utilized. Before any treatment options are discussed, you will be fully evaluated by a physician. Your medical history will be reviewed. Prior treatments of your veins will have to be considered. The extent of your new disease and such factors as your skin type are also considered. We will discuss fully with you what treatment we feel will best help your problem.

In cases of more severe varicose veins, treatment may be best accomplished by Surgery. If this is what we feel will help you best, we will discuss our reasons with you fully and if you wish to pursue this option, we will refer you to a surgeon with special skills in this area.

Post Varicose & Spider Vein Therapy

IS RECOVERY PAINFUL?

No. After Sclerotherapy and/or Laser Therapy we will wrap your leg with elastic compression bandages to help your veins to stay closed. These are kept on for 48 hours. We then ask you to wear support hose to further compress your veins for 2-3 weeks. We dispense Sigvaris Support Hose, or visit their web site at http://www.sigvaris.com.

You will see some bruising around the treated sites for the first week. You may also see some brownish discoloration of the skin when larger vessels are treated. This goes away after 3 to 4 weeks. We ask you to avoid strenuous exercise for the first 48 to 72 hours. Thereafter while wearing compression hose you may resume normal activity. Treated veins may take several treatments and generally fade away after 6-8 weeks. Some further improvements may be seen after several months.

ACTION

Compression therapy stockings apply maximum pressure at the ankle level, progressively decreasing toward the top of the affected leg. They fight the pressure exerted byt he blood on the wall of the veins. They reduce the vein diameter and increase blood flow.

HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I REQUIRE?

The majority of Varicose Veins will be gone after 1-2 treatments. Some veins are more difficult to treat and require more treatments. Generally treatments may be repeated every 2-3 weeks depending on your response. New diseased veins may develop down the road and require further treatment then.

©Coherent, Inc. 1998 LightSheer™ is a trademark of Coherent, Inc.