Varicose Veins

In general, veins return blood to your heart. The blood inside the vein must work against gravity to flow out of the leg. Small one-way valves in the veins open and allow blood to pass through towards the heart. They then close to prevent the blood from flowing backwards. The blood inside the vein eventually gets pushed out of your leg by the pumping action of your leg muscles.

Varicose veins are a very common problem. They can be hereditary in over 80% of cases and affect an estimated 40% of women and 25% of men. Contributing factors include pregnancy, obesity, standing or sitting for long periods of time. Varicose veins are dilated, swollen veins which can occur anywhere from the groin to the ankle. The cause of varicose veins is due to a malfunction of the one-way valves inside the vein, dilation of the vein, allowing blood to leak back (reflux) and pool in the leg. This results in enlarged, visible veins and/or one or more of the following symptoms:

Pain (aching, throbbing) Heaviness/Tiredness Swelling, Burning, Tingling Skin Rash/Pigmentation/Tender areas Cramps/Restless Legs

If you delay treatment, your symptoms may progress to more serious complications such as:

Ulcers Phlebitis Bleeding

The Chase Laser Vein Center offers the following treatments to eliminate painful and unhealthy varicose veins:

• Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLT)
• Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy
• Ambulatory Phlebectomy
• Compression Hose

Spider Veins

Spider veins are purplish discoloration of veins arranged in lines or web-like configuration. They are smaller than most varicose veins but are often darker and more noticeable. Spider veins are usually non-symptomatic but can be an indication of more serious vein disease.

The Chase Laser Vein Center offers the following treatments for spider veins:

Injection Sclerotherapy Vein Gogh