When Should Varicose Veins Be Treated?
The question of “When should varicose veins be treated?” is one of the most frequently asked questions in daily life. Summer is the most beautiful season of the year that is eagerly awaited for many of us, smells like vacation and passes in the blink of an eye. However, this is not the case for varicose vein patients. They hesitate to wear short skirts and swimsuits due to the bad appearance on their legs as the weather warms up in the summer. In addition, their complaints related to varicose veins increase even more due to the effect of the heat. Therefore, they eagerly wait for the weather to cool down again. But is there no solution to this social isolation and psychological trauma? Of course there is:
Autumn and winter are the seasons that every varicose vein patient should make the best use of. Because no matter how much the complaints are in the summer months, a treatment to be applied can become unbearable due to the effect of the heat. Varicose stockings and elastic bandages, which are the backbone of the treatment, can usually be used more comfortably in cold weather. On the other hand, laser treatment applied externally to capillary varicose veins, which does not require the use of socks or bandages, cannot give the expected results on tanned skin. For this reason, the autumn and winter months, when the weather starts to cool down and your skin tone becomes lighter, are a golden opportunity to get rid of varicose veins.
What are the Varicose Vein Treatment Methods?
Varicose vein treatment is determined by the degree of varicose veins and the patient’s complaints. With the protection methods that will be mentioned later, some medications to be used and a varicose vein stocking with appropriate pressure, you can get rid of all complaints and possible complication risks, even if there is no improvement in the appearance.
Sclerotherapy (Foam or Needle Treatment)
Sclerotherapy is a method also known among the public as “needle” or “foam” treatment. Special drugs are injected into capillary or medium-sized varicose veins with very small needles to block the diseased veins. This method is currently applied by non-specialists in many clinics and beauty salons without any control. The fact that the drugs given are extremely allergenic and that permanent bruises can develop due to application errors necessitates that this treatment be performed by a cardiovascular surgeon in a hospital environment.
Varicose Vein Treatment with Laser
Laser methods are applied to varicose vein treatment with two different techniques. The first is the method in which capillary varicose veins are destroyed with laser beams given from outside the skin. Although it is a painful treatment method, its results are better than sclerotherapy. The other method in which laser is used is “Endovenous Laser Ablation”, which is applied in the operating room and in which the superficial leg vein detected as diseased by Doppler examination is dried with a laser catheter. In this method, the diseased vein is rendered inoperable in its place without being removed. The healing process is faster and painless compared to surgical methods.
Varicose Vein Treatment with Radiofrequency
A similar method to Endovenous Laser Ablation is “Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation”. In this procedure, the diseased vein is destroyed and closed with the heat created by radiofrequency waves instead of laser beam. The risk of complications is quite low compared to laser application, and the success rate is very high like laser.
Traditional Surgical Treatment
Traditional surgical intervention is the oldest treatment method that has been applied for many years. In the last 5 years, its popularity has gradually decreased with the introduction of laser and radiofrequency methods. Due to the relatively low cost of surgical intervention, there are still doctors in our country who prefer this method. In this application, the diseased vein is found with incisions made in the ankle and groin area and this vein is pulled and removed with the help of a guide wire advanced under the skin (through the vein) between the two incisions. While the patient is sent home on the same day and starts work the next day in laser and radiofrequency methods, patients who undergo modern surgery stay in the hospital for at least 1 night and stay away from work for 2-3 days.
How to Protect Yourself from Varicose Veins?
No preventive method can completely stop the appearance of varicose veins. However, preventive methods based on regulating blood circulation and exercising the leg muscles greatly reduce the appearance of new varicose veins. Regular exercise, having a balanced weight, following a diet with high fiber and low salt content, not wearing high heels or tight pants, elevating the legs during the day if possible and changing sitting and standing positions frequently are the rules that not only those with this disease but also everyone who wants to protect themselves from this disease should follow.
Remember..! Healthy legs can only be achieved by having a healthy body. So how about welcoming this autumn by opening a new page in your health book?