Varicose and Spider Veins

Varicose and Spider Veins

Is the pain or look of varicose or spider veins affecting your plans and activities? If so, the vascular specialists at Evangelical can help.

Our board-certified vascular surgeons use the latest technology to quickly – and less invasively – reverse the damage caused by common and complex vein issues. We’re also experts at helping you navigate your way through the health insurance issues involved, which leads to more coverage and fewer out of pocket costs for you.

More than Just a Cosmetic Issue

Varicose veins are enlarged veins that are overfilled with blood. Purplish-blue in appearance, they most often appear on the legs or feet. Varicose veins also may have a twisted, bulging appearance.

Spider veins are clusters of tiny blood vessels that form just below the skin. They’re usually red, blue, or purple, and they often resemble a spider web. Spider veins most commonly appear on the face and legs.


Varicose veins and spider veins can present more than just cosmetic issues. They also can cause:

  • pain
  • swelling
  • itching
  • burning

And symptoms can grow worse over time.

Learn More:

Read an article from Every Day magazine.

Pain From a Vein? Pain From a Vein? Article 

Varicose and Spider Veins: Symptoms and Causes

Symptoms

Varicose veins usually are painless but can produce:

  • an achy or heavy feeling
  • burning, cramping, or swelling
  • increased pain after long periods of sitting or standing
  • itching around the vein
  • hardening or discoloration around the vein

Causes

Veins have valves that are designed to keep blood flowing to the heart. When the valves don’t work properly, blood collects in the vessels, causing tiny spider veins and enlarged varicose veins that can be seen under the skin.

You can develop varicose and spider veins for many reasons, including:

  • age
  • pregnancy
  • prolonged standing
  • obesity
  • prior leg trauma
  • a family history of varicose veins

Treatments

To treat varicose and spider veins, the board-certified vascular surgeons at Evangelical use a variety of minimally invasive, outpatient procedures that address each patient’s individual circumstances. And our vascular specialists provide that care in an environment designed to make you feel comfortable with your treatment and confident in your results.

Treatment for varicose and spider veins involves:

  • rerouting blood flow from diseased or weakened veins to healthy ones
  • reducing or eliminating symptoms
  • improving the appearance of the treated area, without scarring 

Sclerotherapy

With this treatment, a vascular surgeon injects a concentrated salt solution into the varicose vein. The solution hardens the vein and makes it disappear. For best results, sclerotherapy typically requires three or four treatments. 

Cutera Excel Vein Therapy and CoolGlide® Laser System Spider Vein Laser Therapy

These therapies usually require only one or two treatments, and they correct varicose and spider veins without injections. Instead, they use pulses of light energy to destroy diseased veins. Treatment redirects blood flow to veins you can’t see from the skin’s surface.

Surgical Options

  • Leg bypass to improve blood flow to legs
  • Inferior Vena Cava Filters for patients with a history of blood clots
  • Fistula placement for dialysis patients
  • Carotid Endarterectomy to remove blockages of the carotid artery
  • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair 
  • Venous ablation/ligation of varicose veins 
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