Vein Center FAQs

If you have any other questions, please contact us. If you have a medical emergency, please dial 911.

How long before I can resume normal activities?

You will be able to walk immediately after the procedure and drive yourself home. The only event in which you may not drive yourself home would be if you choose to take a prescribed sedative prior to your procedure. In that case you will need a caregiver to transport you to and from the appointment. Part of your recovery consists of wearing compression stockings, to help heal your veins, for 3 weeks. During this time, you should take it easy; your provider will inform you of your ‘Dos and Don’t's’.

How much pain is involved?

Very little pain is involved. During the procedure, we will administer local anesthesia injections similar to when a dentist numbs your gum before working on your teeth.

What causes “bulging” veins?

Veins begin to bulge when the valves inside are diseased, this means they are not pumping blood back up to the heart and are pooling the blood in your leg, due to the effects of gravity. Over time, this large volume of pressure in blood begins to build up, causing your veins to bulge and become “varicose”.

How long after this procedure should I see results?

Typically, you should see improvement within 2-4 weeks, please be advised that results vary from person to person. Every body is different, each patient’s condition is unique and requires different methods of treatment. Your timeline to seeing results may be different than that of someone else’s.

What are the risks and side effects?

Vein procedures are extremely safe and risks/side effects are rare. Our team takes great measures in ensuring we do not cause risks or side effects to occur. Risks and side effects include bleeding, infection, scarring, nerve damage, persistent numbness & skin pigmentation.

Does insurance cover the procedure?

Varicose vein procedures are covered by Medicare and most PPO insurance plans. You are advised, however, to check your individual plan. Spider vein treatments are considered cosmetic and generally are not covered by insurance plans.

Percentage of success versus failure?

Most patients (greater than 90%) have significant improvement of their symptoms and varicose veins after completing a treatment course. Note that, depending on the severity of the disease, often more than one session – sometimes multiple sessions, are required.

What is the long-term satisfaction?

In general, long-term results are good. Please keep in mind, however, that varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency are chronic conditions and do have a tendency to recur in other areas of the leg. If you have varicose veins now, then you will always have a propensity for getting them again in the future. 3 and 6 month follow up appointments are a part of each patient’s treatment plan, that way we can monitor how your legs are doing and assess if further treatment is required.

How will I know what type of vein procedure I need?

After meeting with your provider, you will be sent to our Vascular Lab for a Vein Mapping Ultrasound first. This ultrasound will examine your deep & superficial veins, assess for blood clots and venous insufficiency; This helps us discover which veins are diseased and are in need of treatment. There are several types of procedures that we perform at our vein center. These are: Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA), Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), and Ultrasound Guided Chemical Ablation (also known as “Foam Sclerotherapy”). The type of procedures you have will be determined by the results of your Vein Mapping ultrasound.

Why do I need to wear the compression stockings post procedure?

After the veins are ablated, gentle constant pressure is required to keep them closed as the healing process occurs. This is accomplished with the prescription compression stockings, an essential step in the treatment process. Without this constant pressure, the veins may never completely close, and the varicose veins may not all go away. Knee high or thigh high hose may be required, depending on the location of treatment.

What is pigmentation and why does it sometimes occur after the vein procedure?

When the veins are treated, blood often leaks out of them and into surrounding tissue and skin. This creates the appearance of a bruise (it is, in fact a bruise). The rate at which the pigmentation resolves differ from person to person but can take anywhere from weeks to months to resolve. Excessive sun exposure in the weeks following your vein treatment can cause increased pigmentation.