Address

1501 Presidential Way, Suite 21
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Office Hours:

9:00am – 5pm (Mon-Fri)
9:00am – 3pm (Saturday)

Clinic:

(561) 227-9237

Fax:

(561) 923-8171

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Learn more about varicose & spider veins

Varicose Veins

What are Varicose veins?
Varicose veins is the medical term for large bluish, ropy veins which appear under the surface of your skin due to faulty valves in one or more veins on the inside of your leg. Varicose veins are usually larger than ¼ inch and usually get progressively worse over time. They can potentially lead to various symptoms and/or complications which can affect quality of life.
What causes varicose veins and how do they come about?
Many different risk factors contribute to the formation of varicose veins including: age, pregnancy, gender, height, race, diet, occupation, history of DVT, and genetics. Genetics play a major role in causing varicose veins; if one parent has varicose veins there is a 50% chance of you getting them and if both parents have varicose veins there is almost a 90% chance. Over time the veins which are not working properly accumulate blood and begin to expand causing pressure on the walls and subsequent bulging which over time appears at the level of your skin. During the ultrasound exam of your legs our goal is to locate the cause of why your varicose veins have come about.
What types of symptoms do patients have with varicose veins?
Patients with symptomatic varicose veins may experience burning, aching, swelling, itching, skin irritation, open wounds, fatigue, restlessness, leg heaviness, cramping among other symptoms.
Are Varicose Veins dangerous?
If varicose veins are left untreated they usually get progressively worse over time and may lead to complications such as: leg ulcers, bleeding from varicose veins, blood clots, changes to your skin which is called venous stasis dermatitis, swelling to your legs etc. Rare Complications include deep venous thrombosis (blood clots in your deep system) and pulmonary embolism (which is a blood clot in your lung).
What type of test is used to examine the veins in your leg?
During your initial consultation we will perform an ultrasound to examine your legs and visualize your venous system. Our goal during the ultrasound is to measure blood flow and look for backwards flow (called reflux) or any blockages which may be causing your varicose veins to come about. After the ultrasound is performed the vein specialist will be able to determine if you have vein disease and if treatment is recommended. In some cases patients may need advanced imaging if the vein specialist suspects that you may have a deep vein obstruction.

Spider Veins

What are Spider veins?
Spider veins are small clusters of damaged blood vessels which appear in the skin. Spider veins can appear as red, blue or purple lines often resulting in a spider-like appearance. Many patients who have spider veins do not have any symptoms, usually complaints are mainly aesthetic. However, in some cases spider veins may be a sign of circulation or venous disease.
What Causes Spider Veins?
The most common cause of spider veins is genetic predisposition. Spider veins also come about due to trauma, hormonal influence, being overweight, oral contraceptives, aging, sedentarism, sitting or standing for long periods and Venous Insufficiency. Women are more frequently affected than men especially in or around pregnancy due to hormonal surges. Spider veins may appear anywhere on the body.
Do Spider veins cause any symptoms?
Spider veins are usually painless however some patients may experience burning, heaviness, itching or cramping to their legs likely meaning there is underlying venous insufficiency.
How are Spider veins treated?
Spider veins may be treated in a variety of ways such as sclerotherapy, surface vein laser, and veinwave. The first line of treatment is sclerotherapy which involves injecting a chemical solution in the vein causing it to disintegrate. The sclerosing solution acts by causing endothelial damage, leading to fibrosis and arrest of blood flow to your spider veins. It is important to understand that spider veins usually require multiple treatments in order for complete resolution. During your initial consultation if underlying venous disease is present, other vein treatment methods may need to be employed prior to treating your spider veins.
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