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We believe it is in your best interest to have a thorough understanding of varicose veins and spider veins, as well as the newest treatments available. We have provided you with easy-to-understand answers to some often-asked questions.

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins are diseased blood vessels that have become permanently dilated (enlarged), and can no longer efficiently carry blood back to the heart. 

What causes varicose veins?

There are quite a few causes including heredity, pregnancy, estrogen medications, prolonged standing or sitting, sedentary lifestyle, and injury to the legs.

Can varicose veins affect my health in a negative way?

Most definitely! Left untreated, varicose veins can cause pain, swelling, inflammation (phlebitis), skin ulcers, and blood clots. You should not delay treatment. Protect your circulation. Call us at 830-257-6316 to schedule a FREE examination with Dr. Franklin.

What are spider veins?

Unsightly and embarrassing spider veins are the tiny relatives of varicose veins. Like varicose veins, spider veins are also caused by heredity, pregnancy, estrogen medications, prolonged standing or sitting, sedentary lifestyle, and injury to the legs. But unlike varicose veins, spider veins are not dangerous and are simply enlarged venules (tiny veins). Together, varicose veins & spider veins affect over half the population by age 55. 

Is an evaluation necessary?

When traveling downward to the legs, blood flows easily through the arteries. But when blood flows back up the legs to the heart through the veins, gravity makes this job more difficult. Fortunately, our veins are equipped with one-way valves that fight gravity and direct blood toward the heart. When these valves are healthy, they open and close normally providing blood with a foothold to climb up the leg. When these valves weaken, blood will flow back down the leg. This backwards flow of blood is called “venous reflux”. Diseased veins—from the largest varicose vein to the smallest spider vein—are usually caused by reflux through weakened valves. Over time, the pressure from this reflux causes the veins on the skin surface to overstretch and bulge. In order for your veins to be treated properly, the exact location of the venous reflux first needs to be identified. This is accomplished by an advanced ultrasound imaging test called a Venous Duplex Scan, which creates a “map” of your veins by pinpointing the location of the damaged valves. This important test is painless, non-invasive, takes about 30 minutes to perform, and is covered by Medicare and most health insurance plans. Armed with this information, we can then determine the best treatment plan, estimated cost, and the anticipated outcome.

What is Endovenous Foam Treatment™?

For those suffering from varicose and spider veins, the problem often originates in the greater saphenous vein—the main blood vessel that runs from the ankle to the groin. Tributary veins empty blood into the saphenous vein, which carries blood to the deep veins (those not close to the skin) and ultimately back to the heart. When the valves of the saphenous vein stop functioning, blood backs up into the tributary veins causing them to become varicose. Until recently, your only option was painful vein-stripping surgery performed in the hospital. During this rather unpleasant procedure, the saphenous vein is literally ripped from the groin to ankle. If the pain wasn’t enough to scare most people away, the associated risks of general anesthesia, prolonged recovery, potential infection, and unsightly scars surely did. And then there was always the unbelievable expense of this type of surgery. Is it any wonder that so many people refuse treatment?

There’s now a safe, comfortable and cost-effective alternative called Endovenous Foam Treatment™. With this new procedure, under ultrasound guidance, a slender catheter is inserted into the saphenous vein at the knee through a tiny needle stick in the skin. A special foam medication is then infused into the diseased vein. The foam irritates the lining of the vein causing it to contract and close, allowing blood to be rerouted to healthy veins. The treated vein then becomes harmless fibrous tissue and is gradually absorbed into the body. There is virtually no discomfort afterwards and no downtime.

What is Sclerotherapy?

Developed in Europe in the early 1930’s, sclerotherapy eliminates unsightly and embarrassing spider veins of the legs. Using an extremely fine and nearly painless needle, the treatment involves injecting a small amount of a sclerosing solution into the affected veins. This causes the veins to gently dry up and become absorbed by the body’s natural healing response. It usually takes 3-5 sessions to provide the most effective results. Treated veins gradually disappear over three to six months. Because blood flow is shifted to healthy veins, sclerotherapy can improve the circulation in the legs. And despite all the advancements in laser technology, sclerotherapy still remains the overwhelming choice of doctors and patients for spider vein treatment. Why? Because it is more effective, less expensive and less painful than any other treatment available.

What is Transilluminated Sclerotherapy™?

Spider veins can be caused by pressure from blood leaking from connecting reticular veins (superficial blue-green veins). In order to obtain better and longer-lasting results, it is important to locate and treat these superficial feeder veins. Dr. Franklin uses an advanced device called the Veinlite to locate these often hard-to-find veins, and developed a treatment called Transilluminated Sclerotherapy™. The Veinlite transilluminates the skin making it translucent so the reticular veins can be easily seen. Sclerotherapy is then used to eliminate these reticular veins, thereby making the treatment of the overlying spider veins more effective.

What is Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy?

This advanced technique is used to eliminate non-saphenous varicose veins that usually require surgery. The key to the success of this treatment comes from using Duplex ultrasound to first locate the leaking deeper veins that are feeding into and causing the surface spider and varicose veins. Duplex ultrasound then helps to accurately guide injections of a strong sclerosing medication into these diseased veins causing them to safely collapse and close.

Don’t I need these veins? What happens to my circulation if I get rid of them?

Varicose veins and spider veins are part of the superficial vein system. This system returns only 5-10% of the blood flow back to the heart. Varicose veins and spider veins are diseased and defective veins that are no longer working. Getting rid of them is not harmful. In fact, when they are eliminated, the legs usually feel lighter and more energetic due to the improved circulation. This is because blood flow has been rerouted to stronger and healthier veins. The diseased veins are similar to a traffic jam caused by potholes in the road. Rerouting traffic onto streets with smoother surfaces will relieve the congestion simply because the traffic can now move more efficiently.

Does it hurt and are there side effects?

Our skill and experience make the treatments virtually pain-free. We use FDA-approved medications. Side effects are possible with any procedure or medication but, compared to traditional hospital surgery for veins, serious side effects are rare with our advanced techniques.

Do the veins ever come back?

Patients can enjoy healthier, more attractive, pain-free legs. The treated veins do not come back but, because varicose vein disease can sometimes be a chronic condition, no treatment—not even surgery—can stop new veins from forming in the future. However, because the initial treatment was so thorough, any new veins tend to be less severe and are more easily dealt with. Simple touch-up treatment can help you enjoy your life free from problem veins.

What are your fees and does insurance cover the cost?

Above all else, we are committed to providing you with expert medical care. Our fees are usually 75% less than surgery. And while we never attempt to distinguish ourselves solely based on cost, we fully understand that affordability is important to our patients. At the time of your free examination, we will explain the costs that you can expect for treatment. Some of that cost will be paid by your insurance. Medicare pays the majority of the cost of treatment. We accept Medicare assignment and we file your insurance (non-HMO plans). Payment of deductibles and co-insurance is due at the time of treatment. For your convenience, we accept Visa and MasterCard.

Click here for a complete list of our fees

We are a provider for most traditional fee-for-service health insurance plans, and an out-of-network provider for most PPO plans. We offer our patients state-of-the-art non-surgical treatment options for their varicose veins. HMO’s and managed-care insurance plans, on the other hand, usually will only pay for invasive surgical operations. Because of this, we are not a provider for any HMO’s or managed-care plans.

If you are covered by an HMO or managed-care plan, or if you do not have health insurance, don’t worry. You can still enjoy the tremendous benefits of our modern treatment. We have special discounts and we offer affordable payment plans. Our goal is to make our modern vein treatment available to all those who need it.

How do your vein procedures compare other treatments available?

See the comparison table below.

How do I get started?

Call our office at 830-257-6316 to make an appointment for a FREE examination with Dr. Franklin.