Varicose Veins and Diabetes

Varicose Veins and Diabetes

Though there is no direct link between varicose veins and diabetes, many people suffer from both conditions simultaneously. Diabetes can cause a wide range of health problems, including skin conditions, as do varicose veins. [Read more…]

Is It Time to Consider Compression Stockings?

summit-skin-and-vein-healthy-skin-50-1

Spider and varicose veins might just be unsightly nuisances to you, but they are actually the visual alerts to a bigger problem like chronic venous insufficiency. This is a disease that basically prevents blood from flowing back up the leg, leaving blood to pool and veins to bulge. [Read more…]

Tips to Prevent Appearance of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are not solely an aesthetic problem, and can signify more serious venous complications.
Damaged or weak valves in the veins can create increased pressure on the walls of the veins when they fill with blood. This causes the veins to expand and causes appearance of varicose veins. This typically occurs in the legs more than other areas of the body.

Sometimes varicose and/or spider veins cannot be prevented due to genetic predispositions to weak vein walls, but there are certain tips to keep in mind in order to delay their appearance or reduce the risk of onset.


underwater view of senior man swimming competitively1.) Regular exercise

Daily exercise can improve the leg strength, and promotes better circulation. Lighter exercise, such as walking or swimming, is recommended. Strenuous physical activity, like running or weightlifting, increases pressure on the veins, and should be avoided to delay the appearance of varicose veins. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercise can also decrease pressure on your veins.

2.) Avoid standing/sitting for prolonged periods

Standing for a long period of time is stressful to weak veins, and can cause blood to accumulate in the legs. If standing for long periods, be sure to move around to promote better blood flow in the legs. Sitting for long periods can also cause blood to accumulate in the legs.

3.) Leg elevation

Slightly elevating your legs when you sit or lie down improves better bloodflow from the legs to the heart. Elevating your legs decreases pressure on the veins and promotes better circulation. When you lie down, consider putting a pillow under your feet to keep your legs slightly elevated. When sitting down, consider resting your feet on a nearby chair or stool.

Vitamin E4.) Modify your diet

Cut back on salt. Salt can cause increased swelling, which leads to varicose veins. Taking vitamin supplements, such as Vitamin E, are thought to promote skin andvein health. Consult with your doctor before adding nutritional supplements into your diet.


Let us help with your any of your varicose vein concerns.

Summit Skin & Vein Care in Lee’s Summit, MO, can diagnose your venous problems and provide professional treatments to treat and diminish the appearance of varicose veins.

To make an appointment, call (816) 533-4398 today.

What Factors Contribute to Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic nuisance. If left untreated,  they can become a major health problem. It’s important to understand some of the causes of varicose veins.

Varicose Veins: Factors That Can Raise Your Risk

Varicose Vein Treatment in Lee's Summit

• Genetics

Some people are naturally more prone to varicose veins than others simply due to their genes.

• Gender

Women are more likely than men to develop varicose veins, though either gender can get them.

• Age

The risk for troublesome vein conditions increases considerably as we age.

• Hormones

Your risk can also be increased due to the hormones secreted during puberty, pregnancy and menopause as well as those taken due to birth control or hormone replacement.

• Pregnancy

Varicose veins are just one of many symptoms caused by pregnancy.

• Weight

Overweight people are more likely to experience symptoms due to their increased weight.

• Occupation

Long periods of sitting or standing can cause or worsen varicose veins, so jobs that require many hours at a desk can put you at increased risk.

How Can I Prevent Varicose Veins?

You cannot prevent varicose veins. Some ways to decrease the symptoms of varicose veins include exercising to help improve the circulation in your legs, drinking plenty of water, stretching, moving around frequently, maintaining a healthy weight, propping your legs up on a pillow to relax and wearing compression stockings can help too.

Fight Your Varicose Veins Now

Lifestyle changes can help with varicose veins, but you’ll need to partner with a varicose vein fighting expert for a more permanent solution. Find out how to fight varicose veins with the experts at Summit Skin & Vein Care.

Call us today to get started! (816) 533-4398

Proudly serving Kansas City, Lee’s Summit and surrounding areas

Role of Compression Stockings in Varicose Vein Treatment

Compression therapy is frequently used as the first step preparing to go through varicose vein treatment. Surprisingly, most insurance companies will require those who have varicose veins go through compression therapy before being eligible for reimbursement for other more aggressive varicose vein treatments. The use of compression stockings in varicose vein treatment is very important.

These socks can help with varicose vein treatment, because they are designed to be used with other treatments. Some of the benefits that compression stockings have include:

Benefits of Compression Stockings

Compression Stockings in Lee's Summit

• Blood Circulation – This is usually part of the problem. If a person has unsightly veins, that means they don’t get enough blood circulation which causes other problems in their legs. The stockings are designed to help blood circulation move through the legs.

• Walking – Blood circulation or the lack of it, makes walking harder. The legs need to have the proper amount of blood to be able to function and having a varicose vein makes that hard. This is where the compression stockings help. They allow for the proper blood flow through the legs back up to the heart.

• Styles – Not everyone has the same types of varicose vein problems, so the best thing is to be checked by a doctor before getting some. There are some that have elastic, and some that don’t. Using the wrong ones, can make any varicose vein become more problematic and cause more issues as a person gets older.

• Varying Degrees of Compression – This is how the stockings are designed and the range is from 10 to 50. This is because of the varying cases of those veins problems. If a person has a case of varicose vein issues that is lower, most of the time, the compression stockings can be purchased over the counter. Anything towards the higher end usually has to be ordered by a physician.

Find out how to get the most out of compression stockings with the experts at Summit Skin & Vein Care.

Call us today to get started! (816) 533-4398

Proudly serving Kansas City, Lee’s Summit and surrounding areas

 

What is Sclerotherapy?

If you are one of the millions of people who suffers from varicose veins or spider veins, chances are you have heard you do not have to treat your conditions unless they are bothering you. You might not like how your spider veins make your legs look, or you might suffer from chronic leg pain, swelling, cramping, or heaviness as a result of varicose veins. If so, you may choose to pursue a varicose or spider vein treatment such as sclerotherapy. If not, you may let your vein issues go untreated.

As we discussed in our last post on chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins and spider veins can lead to more serious circulatory complications in the legs. Thus, even if your spider veins or varicose veins are not currently causing you cosmetic embarrassment or physical discomfort, we recommend that you have them examined and treated before they contribute to larger vein issues.

At Summit Skin & Vein Care, we offer a number of treatment options for varicose and spider veins, including sclerotherapy. But what exactly does sclerotherapy entail?

What is Sclerotherapy?

Literally translated as “hard therapy,” sclerotherapy is a process used to treat varicose and spider veins. During the procedure, the vein specialist will use a tiny needle to inject a medication into your vein. The medication, called a sclerosant, is designed to irritate and harden the vein lining, which causes the veins to break down and disappear.

Ultrasound-guided Sclerotherapy

What is Sclerotherapy | Kansas City

In ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, a medical professional monitors the vein being treated on an ultrasound screen, allowing treatment of veins that are deeper and would otherwise need surgical removal.

Sclerotherapy Recovery

After your sclerotherapy session, you will need to wear a compression stocking for seven days. You should walk frequently, as this will make your legs feel better, and you will be able to return to work immediately.

Get Sclerotherapy in the Kansas City Area

You can receive sclerotherapy treatment for your varicose or spider veins from a phlebology expert like Summit Skin & Vein Care.

Contact us at (816) 533-4398 today for more information or to schedule an appointment!

What Causes Vein Disease?

If you’re diagnosed with a vein disease, such as spider veins, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, or chronic venous insufficiency, one of your first questions might be what causes vein disease, or how might I have prevented this?

There are several causes for vein disease, or risk factors that increase your chances of developing a vein disease. Although some causes are factors we can’t change, like gender, age, or ethnicity, others are lifestyle choices that can be adjusted to decrease the chance of vein disease. Understanding what causes vein disease will help protect you against spider and varicose veins, blood clots, and more.

What Causes Vein Disease?

Lifestyle

What Causes Vein Disease | Kansas CityCitizens of industrialized nations like the United States are more likely to develop vein disease due to their more sedentary lifestyle. Riding in cars and sitting at a computer are more common in these nations, and since remaining in one position for a long period of time — whether you’re standing, sitting, or lying down — leads to vein disease like varicose and spider veins. The longer you remain in one position, the more likely you are to develop vein disease.

Ankle Mobility

Another cause of vein disease? Lack of ankle mobility. Your calf muscles work as a pump, pushing blood against gravity from your legs to your heart, and when you move your ankles, your calves pump better. An immobile ankle increases your chances of getting a vein disease.

Aging

As you grow older, you increase your chance of getting a vein disease. Smaller issues that began earlier eventually progress into more serious problems. As our bodies lose collagen, our vein walls break down and lose elasticity, causing the walls to stretch and leak. This leads to vein disease like varicose or spider veins.

Although senior citizens do have a 50% greater chance of suffering from venous insufficiency than younger people, they do not have different success rates after venous treatments. Thus, even if you are elderly, treating your vein disease should still work well.

Genetics

Gene mapping has revealed a genetic component to venous disease, suggesting that vein disease is hereditary. Though more research needs to be done in this area, if someone in your family has varicose or spider veins, you are likely to get them as well. Be aware of your family medical history to know if it might cause vein disease.

Ethnicity

Race is another factor that causes vein disease. Studies have shown a higher occurrence of varicose veins in Caucasians than those of Asian, Hispanic, and African American descent.

Gender

Gender is another risk factor for vein disease. Women are 2 ½ times more likely to develop varicose or spider veins than men, mostly due to female hormones like progesterone, which cause vein walls to stretch. During pregnancy, women have high progesterone levels that cause vein disease. When the veins are stretched for 9 months during pregnancy, they may never return to their original size.

Fight the Causes of Vein Disease

Although some causes of vein disease obviously can’t be helped — gender, ethnicity, family history, and age, namely — those associated with our lifestyle can be adjusted.

If your job requires you to stay seated or standing in the same position for long periods of time, get up and move. If you are on bed rest, flex your ankles frequently. Ladies, limit your time in high heels, as they inhibit ankle mobility and thus cause vein disease. While pregnant, wear graduated compression stockings to encourage healthy circulation.

Kansas City Vein Disease Treatments

If you have any of the above risk factors for vein disease and you live in Kansas City, Summit Skin & Vein Care can help identify and treat your vein disease.

Contact Summit Skin & Vein Care at  (816) 533-4398 today for more information or to schedule an appointment!

Can Varicose Veins Return After Treatment?

Varicose veins are a problematic health issue that can be treated by way of Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA). While EVLA has been proven to be effective in the treatment of these veins, it does not guarantee the prevention of future development of varicose veins. When it comes to the treatment of varicose veins, Summit Skin & Vein Care of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, knows the results you can expect best. For complete details about the treatment of varicose veins, stay tuned. [Read more…]

What is Endovenous Laser Treatment?

If you have varicose veins, your vein specialist will probably suggest a treatment plan like sclerotherapy or endovenous laser treatment to remedy the situation before it leads to further discomfort or more serious vein complications.

As with any other medical treatment, it’s good for you to understand the basics of endovenous laser treatment before undergoing it yourself. [Read more…]

 © Copyright 2024 Summit Skin Care All rights reserved | Privacy Policy

Call Now Button