Have you started to notice uncomfortable, visible varicose veins? These veins typically appear on the legs and feet, and they can cause significant discomfort such as aching or itching. They are also difficult to deal with if you like to wear shorts, dresses, or skirts, as many women are dismayed by the ropey appearance and the blue or purple color. If this sounds like something you’ve been dealing with, venous ablation may be the right treatment for you.
At Commonwealth Vein Center, we treat varicose veins using venous ablation with radiofrequency. You can learn more about this treatment from our knowledgeable staff at our practice in Colonial Heights. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
What are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are veins in the legs that have stopped functioning correctly. When the blood flows back up the vein into the heart, there is a valve that keeps the blood moving in the right direction. For some reason, and there are many different possible reasons, this valve can become weakened. If the valve becomes too weak, it stops performing its job.
This means the blood can’t flow back up to the heart, and it starts to pool within the vein. This is why varicose veins appear swollen and dark in color. The dark color is because the vein has pooled with blood that is deprived of oxygen. Once a varicose vein has developed, the only way to effectively treat it is by rerouting the blood flow in some way. One way is with radiofrequency venous ablation.
What is Radiofrequency Venous Ablation?
Ablation is the act of using heat to damage tissue, such as in laser skin resurfacing. With veins, however, ablation is the method of applying heat in order to close the problem vein. This is a minimally invasive treatment that can be performed right in our practice. The technique we use here at Commonwealth Vein Center uses radiofrequency to generate heat instead of lasers.
During the treatment, tiny incisions are made and then a thin tube is inserted. This thin tube allows radiofrequency energy to heat up the inside of the vein, which causes it to collapse. A local anesthetic may be necessary to ensure the comfort of the patient.
After the treatment, you can immediately get up and start walking around. We may recommend that you limit certain activities for a short period of time. We can also give you compression stockings that you should wear for up to one week to help the process of the veins closing.
Contact Us
If you are interested in the benefits of radiofrequency venous ablation, we encourage you to get in touch with our team here at Commonwealth Vein Center in Colonial Heights. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
