Treatment FAQ

why does varicose veins return after treatment

by Jamie Schultz Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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When the veins are removed, the body's natural healing process kicks in and causes them to regrow. This process is called post operative neovascularization. However, the new veins don't have valves, causing the varicose veins to come back with a vengeance.

Full Answer

Why do varicose veins reappear after treatment?

There are three main reasons why varicose veins may reappear after treatment: The right veins were treated, but using the least optimal technique New varicose veins formed due to further blood valve failure According to Dr. Teed, treatment-related recurrence is not the only cause for the reappearance of varicose veins.

Is there something wrong with varicose vein surgery?

If this is true then there appears to be something wrong with varicose vein surgery or it might be that varicose veins are special and will always come back again regardless of treatment.

Why do varicose veins come back after endovenous thermal ablation?

In many such cases, patients think that the treatment has worked, only to find that the veins come back several months later. This is because inadequate treatment with endovenous thermal ablation causes thrombosis (or clots) which closes the vein temporarily only to reopen again in the future when the clot or thrombosis dissolves.

How long does it take to recover from varicose vein treatment?

This phase of the recovery period will take several weeks. During the extended recovery phase, your vein doctor will recommend that you wear compression hose until the treatment area has healed completely. Compression stockings are very tight, so they squeeze blood up and out of the treated veins to improve circulation and prevent blood clotting.

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Can varicose veins return after treatment?

Many patients experience excellent results from surgical procedures to get rid of many varicose veins, but sometimes varicose veins do reoccur. Up to 60 percent of patients may have their varicose veins return after treatment (ii) and this can be frustrating.

Why do I keep getting new varicose veins?

The following can increase the risk of developing varicose veins: Age. Aging causes wear and tear on the valves in the veins that help control blood flow. Eventually, that wear causes the valves to allow some blood to flow back into the veins, where it collects.

Can recurrent varicose vein be treated?

Some patients require removal (stripping) of the main vein (long saphenous vein), which runs from the groin to the ankle. This is often a source of the recurrent varicose veins and may not have been removed at your first operation. Sometimes this vein can be treated by EndoVenous Laser Therapy (EVLT).

Why do varicose veins come and go?

Varicose veins form when valves deteriorate, allowing blood to flow downhill and pool in the leg. “Veins can lose their elasticity, and when they lose their elasticity, they dilate,” Dr. Smith says. “Veins have valves whose purpose is to keep the blood moving from your foot back to your heart.

How can I prevent varicose veins recurrence?

Preventing varicose vein recurrence Venous disease progression – There is no cure for vein disease, only the treatment of diseased veins and other symptoms as they arise, and their ongoing management. It's vital that doctors establish a treatment and follow-up plan for those with ongoing venous disease.

How can I stop varicose veins getting worse?

How to Prevent Varicose Veins from Getting WorseExercise regularly. Your leg muscles are your biggest allies. ... Lose weight if you're overweight. ... Avoid standing or sitting for a long time. ... Don't wear tight-fitting clothes. ... Be sure to put your feet up. ... Wear support pantyhose. ... Invest in a compression hose.

How long does varicose vein treatment last?

It takes about 1 year for the treated vein to disappear with both EVLT and RFA. To get best results, you may need more than one treatment.

Why do my spider veins keep coming back?

While the cause of spider veins isn't completely understood, they tend to be a genetic issue. Hormones, a sedentary lifestyle, and weight gain can also play a role in these pesky leg veins. Luckily, there's an easy and effective treatment to remove your veins for good.

How successful is varicose vein treatment?

Surgery can very effectively relieve varicose vein symptoms: In more than 80% of people who have varicose vein surgery, it improves symptoms like pain, swelling and itching or makes them go away completely, and their legs look better afterwards.

Can varicose veins go back to normal?

Successfully treated varicose veins don't return. However, it's possible to form new varicose veins. Let's take a closer look at what happens if the veins aren't properly treated and how lifestyle and family history can cause new varicose veins to form.

How can I prevent varicose veins in my legs naturally?

Lifestyle and home remediesExercise. Get moving. ... Manage weight. Shedding excess pounds takes unnecessary pressure off the veins.Avoid salt. Follow a low-salt diet to prevent swelling caused from water retention.Choose proper footwear. ... Avoid tight clothing. ... Raise the legs. ... Avoid long periods of sitting or standing.

When should you worry about varicose veins?

If you have varicose veins and experience any of the following symptoms, it's time to give your doctor a call: Severe and continuous pain and swelling in the legs. Heaviness and/or dull, achy feeling in the legs at the end of the day, or after physical activity.

How does a varicose vein work?

Surgical treatments for varicose veins often attempt to cut off blood flow to the malfunctioning vein or veins. Blood flow is naturally redirected to another nearby vein. Once the malfunctioning vein is no longer receiving any blood, it shrinks and disappears. In some procedures, the vein may be “stripped” or removed entirely. (iii)

What is the procedure to make varicose veins disappear?

Minimally invasive procedures may include: (iii) Laser therapy – strong bursts of light are sent onto the vein, making it fade and disappear. Sclerotherapy – an FDA-approved medication is injected into small- and medium-sized varicose veins, which causes them to collapse and fade away.

What is the procedure to remove a varicose vein?

Radiofrequency ablation – high-frequency radio waves are used to create thermal energy to cause the varicose vein to collapse and seal shut. Phlebectomy or “vein stripping” – this procedure involves removing the vein entirely and is sometimes used in combination with other procedures.

What kind of doctor treats varicose veins?

Vascular specialists such as interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons know that your varicose veins are only one part of a complex bodily system. Treating your condition requires a full medical evaluation to determine the causes of your varicose veins.

What is the best place to get rid of varicose veins?

A vascular center can provide the comprehensive care you need to finally get rid of stubborn varicose veins. If you need help managing your varicose vein symptoms or if you are seeking treatment, call 844-832-VEIN (8346) today to schedule an appointment with a vascular specialist. Sources:

What is the purpose of a vascular specialist?

A vascular specialist can work to develop a treatment strategy that addresses your current symptoms. Proper initial care can also reduce your risk of developing more varicose veins in the future. (vi) Some patients develop varicose veins as a result of an obstructive disease, like deep-vein thrombosis.

What happens to the body after surgery?

After an injury or surgery, your body works to heal itself and create new cells. Sometimes, this healing process can undo the effects of the surgery. Neovascularization, or the development of new blood vessels, is sometimes responsible for the recurrence of varicose veins. (iv)

Why Varicose Veins Recur

A network of arteries and veins moves blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The arteries transport oxygenated blood to our tissues, and then veins return blood back to the heart. This mechanism works because tiny valves within the veins push blood upward to the chest.

Varicose Vein Treatments

At the Kimmel Institute, we provide several treatment options to permanently rid you of varicose veins. These therapies require little to no anesthesia and can be performed in our office in under an hour.

How to care for veins after surgery?

After your treatment, your Center for Vein Restoration doctor will explain how to care for your healing legs by resting, wearing compression stockings, eating healthy, maintaining light activity, and more.

Is vein stripping effective for varicose veins?

Older methods of varicose vein treatment, such as litigation and vein stripping, are now known to be associated with increased chances of varicose vein recurrence. For this reason, Center for Vein Restoration physicians specialize in more modern methods of treatment. In particular, our physicians focus on treatments known to have high success levels and low recurrence levels, like Laser Ablation and VenaSeal. Studies have shown these treatment methods to be more effective and longer-lasting than their predecessors.

Can you get varicose veins back after treatment?

As a result, if venous insufficiency is responsible for your varicose veins, it’s possible that they could return again after treatment. To reduce this risk — and reduce your other health risks associated with venous insufficiency — it's important to get screened and treated early and often, as varicose veins can develop into late-stage vein disease and contribute to lymphedema, DVT, and more.

1. Technical Causes – Related to your operation

Improper Planning of the Procedure : Your treatment starts from the planning stage when you undergo Venous Doppler Ultrasound that maps all the various veins that are causing your problem. Our Consultants at the Vein Center are trained in Vascular Ultrasound and perform this test themselves.

2. Patient Related Factors

Persistence of Risk Factors : If patients continue to have the same risk factors that caused the disease in the first place, like standing for long periods of time, obesity, smoking etc, then there will be an increased risk of recurrence.

What does this mean in terms of your treatment ? How does it affect your care ?

We at The Vein Center are on a continuous mission to offer better care and make better protocols to treat varicose veins such that a recurrence is prevented and if there is a recurrence then it is caught early. We perform our own ultrasound so that your care each patient gets their personalized treatment plan.

Why is planning necessary?

This 60 year old gentleman who was previously treated for a venous ulcer on the heel by ligation and stripping of the GSV but the ulcer never healed. We did the doppler ourselves and found that he has an incompetent SSV and ankle perforating veins. This is how his ulcer healed.

What Are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are dilated, superficial veins caused by a weakening in the blood vessel walls. They can affect any blood vessel in the body but mainly appear in the lower legs and pelvis.

How Are Varicose Veins Treated?

Depending on the size and scope of the condition, a patient’s health status and medical history, different modalities are used to treat varicose veins including:

Why Do Varicose Veins Recur?

There are three main reasons why varicose veins may reappear after treatment:

Why do my veins return?

If your treatment did not treat all of your veins—even those that weren’t visible through your skin—the untreated veins will inevitably grow and will eventually become visible over time.

Why is vein stripping considered outdated?

Vein stripping was the original treatment for varicose veins, but it is considered outdated now due to its ineffectiveness, the long recovery time required after the procedure, and the invasiveness of the procedure.

Can you pay for veins treatment more than once?

While it’s frustrating to have to pay for treatment more than once, following the steps above will make it much more likely that your treatment will be successful the second time around. To determine the likely cost of having your veins treated again, use our cost calculator.

Is vein stripping a good treatment for varicose veins?

Vein stripping was the original treatment for varicose veins, but it is considered outdated now due to its ineffectiveness, the long recovery time required after the procedure, and the invasiveness of the procedure. Vein stripping carries many risks—among them is that stripped veins will just grow back after treatment and will need to be removed again. If your original treatment was vein stripping, you will likely have much more success eradicating your varicose veins with a more current treatment.

How long does it take for veins to heal after a vein surgery?

While you can get up and walk around immediately after vein treatment, your treated veins will continue to recover for several weeks.

How long does it take for a vein to heal?

The treated vein breaks apart; nearby tissue absorbs the remnants of the vein. This phase of the recovery period will take several weeks. During the extended recovery phase, your vein doctor will recommend that you wear compression hose until the treatment area has healed completely.

What is the best treatment for spider veins?

Vein surgery is the most effective way to deal with varicose veins, spider veins, and other veins problems. Recovery time from vein treatment depends on a number of factors, including the type of procedure and the severity of your vein problems.

What is the procedure for spider veins?

Vein doctors perform a variety of vein treatment procedures for varicose veins, spider veins, and other vein problems. These treatments include microphlebectomy, which involves the removal of the diseased vein through tiny holes in your skin, sclerotherapy that involves the use of a chemical to irritate and close veins, and laser treatments.

Why do compression stockings work?

Compression stockings are very tight, so they squeeze blood up and out of the treated veins to improve circulation and prevent blood clotting. Certain factors, such as the number of veins treated per session, the severity of your vein problems, and your overall vein health, can affect the length of your recovery.

Can you walk around after vein surgery?

There is no downtime associated with many of today’s vein treatment strategies: you can get up and walk around immediately after most vein treatments. In fact, walking around promotes circulation that speeds healing. The more you walk, the faster your body will heal from vein treatment.

Is vein surgery invasive?

The procedure usually required patients to stay one or more nights in the hospital and face a long recovery process. Today’s vein treatment is minimally invasive, requiring local anesthetic instead of general anesthesia.

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