In the United States, millions of men and women are affected by varicose veins. Vein problems can affect your quality of life. Symptoms can impact your work, self-esteem, sleep, and ability to exercise and do the activities you love. Previous painful vein treatment methods, such as vein stripping, are now not commonly used. Doctors are opting for minimally invasive treatments such as the new treatment known as Varithena. Get pain relief and forget unsightly varicose veins with Varithena-a non-thermal ablation treatment that does not leave permanent foreign bodies behind after treatment.
At Alabama Vein & Restoration Medspa, we are proud to offer Varithena an innovative approach that removes the painful, burning, bulging, ropy, twisted, and unsightly veins in your legs. Read on to learn how the treatment can benefit you or your loved one if you have varicose veins.
What is Varithena?
Varithena is an FDA-approved, minimally invasive, non-surgical, medication used to treat varicose veins and symptoms related to or caused by varicose veins. It is the only FDA-approved micro-foam treatment for chronic venous insufficiency, which is the cause of varicose veins. Varithena helps improve the symptoms of superficial venous incompetence and the appearance of visible varicosities. Varithena is also used to treat incompetent saphenous veins of the legs that result in varicose vein formation at the surface and for veins above and below the knee.
Varicose veins are formed when valves within the vein wall malfunction or weaken and have difficulty pushing the blood toward the heart. This leads to the backflow of blood and pools, which cause the appearance of bulging, ropey, and twisted veins. The condition cannot improve on its own and gets worse without treatment. You may be prone to varicose veins if you constantly suffer from the following:
- Leg cramps
- Skin color or texture changes
- Burning or itching in the legs
- Sore or aching leg muscles
- Pain in your legs after a long period of sitting
When left untreated, the unsightly veins can cause discomfort, pain, leg heaviness, itching, burning sensation, numbness, and swelling in the ankles and legs. The damaged veins can result in severe health complications such as deep vein thrombosis (blood clots), sores that do not heal, and other health concerns. Varithena uses a special foaming agent injected into the varicose veins to close them off and seal the problematic vessels, rerouting blood flow to neighboring healthier veins.
Benefits of Varithena
Varithena treats various types of leg vein diseases, including spider veins and varicose veins of different sizes. The benefits of Varithena treatment that make it an excellent choice for varicose vein patients include the following:
- High success rate, up to 94%
- Minimally invasive, non-surgical
- Office-based procedure (no hospital stay is required)
- No general anesthesia and sedation
- No incisions or stiches
- No downtime required
- Improves the undesirable appearance of veins
- Does not require multiple injections to numb the treatment site, unlike most thermal procedures
- Does not leave permanent foreign bodies behind after the procedure
- Effectiveness. The Varithena foam is easily absorbed and much more advanced than similar foams on the market
- Well tolerated by most patients than other treatment techniques that involve the use of a catheter
- Suitable for those who don’t find relief from other vein treatment
- Quick recovery. After the procedure, you will be able to return home almost immediately. Your recovery will be short and easy.
- Short procedure that takes not more than 30 minutes to complete
- Fewer side effects than traditional vein stripping
- No risk of nerve damage like in ablation treatments
- Less expensive than surgery
- Many see results in as little as one treatment
- An option for people who are not candidates for other varicose vein treatments
Varithena Procedure
When you come in for Varithena treatment, our doctor will explain the procedure and answer any questions you have. You will then lie on the procedure table, and the doctor will swab the affected skin with alcohol. With the aid of an ultrasound, the doctor will insert a tiny needle into the lumen of the diseased veins. The medication is slowly and precisely injected into the veins. Since the ultrasound shows the drug, our doctor can precisely administer Varithena into the affected veins. The needle will be withdrawn, and some gentle pressure is briefly held at the injection site.
The foam causes the veins to collapse and close, and blood is displaced from inside the vein. The blood is rerouted into the nearby healthy veins, and the body reabsorbs the collapsed vein. It is recommended to wear a compression garment after the procedure, which we offer at our offices. Leg compression is essential to ensure the medication is well absorbed and for soreness or swelling that occurs after the treatment.
Post-Procedure Care Tips
Varithena has no downtime; you can return to your usual activities and diet after the procedure. You may experience swelling and bruising around the treatment area after the procedure. Apply an ice pack at 20-minute intervals for a few days to get relief. You can also take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen, Motrin/Advil, Naproxen, or Aleve, or ask your doctor to write you a prescription.
You should not remove your compression stockings within the first 48 hours. Take a sponge bath and use dry shampoo if you must wash your hair. After 48 hours, you may remove your compression stockings and take a shower. You should wear your compression stockings during waking hours for five more days if you have discomfort and aches. No heavy lifting, including swimming, for at least 48 hours after the procedure.
Avoid sitting or standing with your legs straight down whenever you can to minimize the risk of varicose vein formation. Additionally, 5 to 7 days after the procedure, you should not sit for more than three hours on long car rides. Maintain movement on the day of the procedure and avoid laying down or sitting for long durations at a time. We recommend walking for a minimum of 30 minutes daily. It is recommended to resume flying two weeks after the procedure.
Varithena Results
You may notice an improvement in your symptoms within 1 to 2 weeks after the treatment. Improvements can be seen as far out as one year. The veins will gradually fade, and your legs will feel and look better, enabling you to go back to doing the activities you love without pain, discomfort, or an unsightly vein appearance. Most patients need only one treatment, and additional treatments may be necessary based on the size and number of veins being treated. Typically, the results of Varithena are considered permanent since the veins won’t bother you anymore.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle after Varithena treatment is vital to prevent the risk of the current healthy veins from forming varicose veins in the future. This is especially necessary if you have risk factors for developing varicose veins, such as obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, or family history. If you are pregnant, take preventative measures as mentioned above.
Varithena Effectiveness
According to studies, patients treated with Varithena experienced significant improvements in their vein-related symptoms. They reported experiencing decreased leg heaviness, swelling, burning sensation, itching, and swelling in just one treatment. Vein appearance also improves drastically.
Suitable Candidates for Varithena Treatment
Almost all patients with varicose veins in the legs can benefit from Varithena treatments. It is an excellent option for patients with small, medium, and large-sized veins for patients with venous disease. Here at Alabama Vein & Restoration Medspa, our vein specialists conduct thorough physical exams, evaluations, medical history, and ultrasound of your leg veins to ensure you are suitable for Varithena treatment. We do not recommend Varithena treatments for individuals with blood clots in their legs, including those who are allergic to the active agent in Varithena -polidocanol.
How to Prevent Varicose Veins
Watching your weight is essential to reducing your chance of developing varicose veins. This is because obesity increases the risk of vein diseases. Ensure you consistently maintain a healthy weight. If you are obese, do your best to reduce your weight to the overweight range on the BMI chart to reduce your likelihood of developing varicose veins. Another crucial preventative measure is regular exercise and physical activity. Exercise at least two and a half hours a week.
Insurance Coverage for Varithena
Insurance for Varithena is covered by private insurance and Medicare and is determined on a case-to-case basis. However, they must find it to be a medical necessity. Additionally, insurance companies want to see whether you tried other conservative treatments. Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans may also cover varicose vein treatment.
Insurance companies typically decide to cover treatments based on medical necessity. Discuss coverage criteria with your insurance company if you have concerns about coverage for vein treatments. This is because every company has slightly different plans. We recommend that you inquire about insurance coverage for compression garments.
Eliminate Your Varicose Veins Today
If you are searching for a lasting solution to varicose veins, Varithena is an excellent option. At Alabama Vein & Restoration Medspa, we offer various treatment options for varicose veins. We want you to feel healthy and whole again without the limiting symptoms of varicose veins. Our experts will help you choose the proper treatment based on your needs. Contact Alabama Vein & Restoration Medspa or schedule a consultation today for more information.