Varicose and spider veins can be troublesome from an aesthetic standpoint, leading many women to shy away from shorts and bathing suits in the summer. However, there can also be medical concerns regarding these disfigured veins if they get large enough to cause pain and increase the risk for blood clots. Whether the purpose for getting rid of these unsightly marks is purely cosmetic or becomes a medical issue, there are plenty of treatment options to choose from.

Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is one of the most common procedures for vein removal and is popular in part because it is non-invasive and less painful than other options. This procedure involves injecting a solution into the veins that causes them to seal together and gradually disappear. Most patients who undergo sclerotherapy will see a 50-90% improvement in the appearance of the vein.

Laser Treatment
This is another non-invasive procedure for vein removal that uses a laser to heat the vein, causing it to collapse and dissolve. Although laser surgery is often preferable to traditional surgery methods due to the absence of incisions or needles, it can still be uncomfortable. The laser has to emit a significant amount of heat to collapse the vein and some patients find that sensation to be rather painful. Most doctors will use cooling methods to make the process easier to handle.

Endovenous Techniques
These treatments for vein removal are fairly new and very effective. A small catheter is inserted into the vein and then radiofrequency or lasers are used to shrink the vein and seal it off. This procedure has proven to be very successful with few side effects to report.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy
This procedure uses tiny incisions in the leg at the site of the vein and then a surgical hook to pull the vein out through the incision. The advantage to this type of vein removal treatment is that large veins can be removed with very little scarring to speak of. The procedure only requires a local anesthetic and most patients are back to normal activities the next day.

Surgical Stripping
This is the most traditional method of vein removal and involves tying the veins closed and then removing them. This is still the most common type of procedure for very large varicose veins, although general anesthesia is used on occasion and recovery time is considerably longer than that of other procedures. In this situation, most patients return to normal activities within one to four weeks. It may still be the most effective method for removing very large varicose veins.

Vein removal can be done for medical or cosmetic reasons today. No matter what the reason might be for seeking varicose vein treatment, there are many options available. This choice in treatment allows patients and doctors to partner together to find the best solution for each individual situation. The choice can be made based on the preferences of the patient, the size of the varicose veins and the patient's overall health and ability to tolerate anesthesia. By customizing a treatment program based on the patient's individual needs and condition, a doctor can increase the odds that the procedure will be safe and effective.