Recent advances in medicine have left vein stripping surgery behind as an archaic, invasive, and often ineffective procedure for varicose vein removal. Nowadays, varicose vein treatments are non-invasive, more than 90% effective, and require little to no recovery time. Popular new varicose vein treatments like sclerotherapy, laser therapy, and endovenous laser treatment can be performed by a vein doctor in his office over your lunch break.
One of the newest varicose vein treatments, VenaSeal, was approved by the FDA in 2015. In clinical trials, the FDA found VenaSeal to be a safe and effective treatment for removing superficial varicose veins.
How Does VenaSeal Work?
When performing the VenaSeal procedure, your doctor will first take an ultrasound of the area around your varicose veins in order to create a map of your damaged veins. The ultrasound allows your doctor to find and map out all of your damaged veins for treatment as not all varicose veins are visible through your skin.
After mapping out your veins, you’ll be administered a local anesthetic that will numb the area to be treated. Once numb, your doctor will insert a catheter into your damaged veins. The catheter is used to inject a specially designed glue that will seal damaged veins in order to prevent blood from flowing through those veins in the future. By emptying damaged veins of blood and preventing future blood flow through damaged veins, varicose veins will disappear.
Advantages of VenaSeal
VenaSeal has some significant advantages over other varicose vein treatments. First, a single VenaSeal treatment may be effective in eradicating varicose veins; other treatment types require multiple treatments before veins disappear completely. Second, VenaSeal does not require patients to wear compression stockings after the treatment is performed. Finally, VenaSeal does not require the use of heat, large surgical incisions, or anesthesia, so recovery from the procedure is typically quick and painless.
Is VenaSeal Dangerous?
VenaSeal was proven safe in clinical trials and has been approved by the FDA. The primary danger of the treatment is for individuals who are allergic to the glue used in the treatment. Your doctor should test the glue on a patch of your skin before performing the treatment to ensure that you will not have an allergic reaction to the glue.
Does VenaSeal Work for All Varicose Veins?
VenaSeal is designed for treating superficial varicose veins—spider veins and face veins that have not progressed into deep vein thrombosis. It is not an effective treatment for large varicose veins.
How Much Does VenaSeal Cost?
The cost of the VenaSeal treatment will vary depending on how many treatments you need in order to eradicate your varicose veins. To get a better idea of your potential costs, use our varicose vein treatment cost calculator.
If you have health issues or pain caused by your varicose veins, you may also be able to file a claim for treatment with your health insurance company. Check with your doctor to find out what steps you need to take in order to be eligible for insurance coverage of the cost of VenaSeal.