Normal blood flow through a healthy vein

Veins are the vehicles through which the blood in our body circulates. The first part of circulation occurs when the heart pumps blood rich in oxygen and nutrients to feed the body’s organs. During the second part of circulation, the organs extract needed nutrients from the blood while tissues discard waste products back into the blood, which then must travel through the veins back to the heart.

The job of the veins in our legs to bring the blood back to the heart is especially difficult. The blood has to be brought back up against the force of gravity. The flow of blood is helped by the calf muscles that pump the blood and by inner valves that prevent the blood from going back down. Malfunction of this intricate, sophisticated system causes dilation of the inner veins, delaying the movement of blood back up to the heart. Delay causes blood stagnation in the veins, which results in stretchy dilated varicose formation. Clinical results can include pain, cramping, swelling and fatigue after prolonged standing. If varicose veins are left untreated, the stagnated blood can cause skin discoloration, pigmentation, bleeding, ulcer formation or even clot formation.   

Varicose veins are large, rope-like, bulging, blue veins that are visible at the surface of the skin, often in the legs. These veins are not only unsightly, they interfere with and slow down the flow of blood, causing pain, cramps, fatigue and, in severe cases, hemorrhaging, clots, ulceration of the skin and bleeding. The most common causes of varicose veins include family history, jobs that require standing for long periods of time, being overweight and pregnancy.

Spider veins are small varicose veins that derive from the same underlying causes. They extend from varicose veins and can often cover large areas of the skin. 

Varicose Vein Laser Treatment, also known as Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA), is a minimally invasive surgical procedure preformed safely in a medical office to treat varicose veins. This innovative treatment uses specially designed laser and ultrasound technology to close and eliminate faulty veins with laser energy. 

EVLA eliminates the need for general anesthesia, surgical incisions and costly hospitalizations, and requires little recovery time. The rate of success in closing and eliminating varicose veins is over 95%. And the chance of a recurrence in the same area is minimal.