FAQs

It is unclear if varicose veins can be prevented, but certain actions may help limit the disease’s progression and symptoms. Routine exercise, maintaining a normal weight, avoiding excessively long periods of standing or sitting, and the use of compression stockings may all help alleviate symptoms.

If you have underlying venous disease (e.g., venous reflux), the pressure created by backflow of blood and pooling in the lower legs may create a progressive condition that only gets worse with time. This may lead to additional spider veins and varicose veins, and in some cases can lead to swelling and venous ulcers at the lower calf and ankle. Only a trained vein specialist can effectively evaluate your spider veins or varicose veins.

Sometimes the same factors that helped to cause your first spider veins or varicose veins (e.g., family history, age, obesity, female hormones, etc.) will make you predisposed to develop additional vein conditions. If a specific vein is properly treated, it usually does not recur, but it is possible that other veins may become diseased. This is why it is important that even if you have what appear to be simple, cosmetic spider veins, that you consult a vein specialist who can determine if you have an underlying condition (venous reflux). If you do, and you don’t treat the cause of the problem, additional spider veins or varicose veins are likely to develop.

Procedures like sclerotherapy, EVLA and Closure act to close down a faulty vein. The vein being closed is dysfunctional and is allowing blood to flow backwards and pool, so leaving it open only makes things worse. The body contains numerous other healthy veins that are still functional and can easily take up the additional flow. Treatment of the faulty veins almost always results in improved blood flow in the overall vein system.

Procedures like EVLA, Closure and vein stripping, when shown to be medically necessary, are commonly covered by Medicare and insurance providers. Sclerotherapy for spider veins is generally considered a cosmetic procedure and usually not covered. Consult your local insurance provider to determine your exact eligibility and coverage as well as cost.

There is a newer physician specialty called phlebology which focuses on vein treatment. This specialty has its own society (American College of Phlebology), provides board certification and specialty training. Consult with your individual physician to determine whether they have any such specialty training or certification.

At Virginia Vein Care, we reserve VeinGogh™ treatment for small spider veins of the face.

After cleaning the injection site, your VeinGogh™ specialist will use a very fine, insulated needle to administer the treatment just beneath the surface of the skin but without piercing the vessel itself. Tiny vessels will be destroyed and dissappear quickly. Most procedures take less than 20 minutes to perform, and no bandages are required following the procedure

There is no downtime associated with the VeinGogh™ procedure. Men and women treated with VeinGogh™ can resume their normal activities immediately after their procedure. In addition, no bandages are required.

With the VeinGogh™ system, you will see results immediately following your treatment, as tiny veins close and begin to disappear. Results will continue to improve over the next few days following your procedure.

Treatment of spider veins with the VeinGogh™ system is permanent. Once your veins are treated successfully with the VeinGogh system, they will not re-appear.

There is a very small risk of scarring, although this risk is minimal and much less than the risk associated with other vein procedures.