CONSERVATIVE THERAPHY
Varicose veins appear most often in the legs. They form when valves in your veins weaken and blood that should be pumped back up toward your heart pools instead in the veins.
Your veins then become enlarged and can look knotted or ropy. But, you might also have varicose veins that aren’t as close to the surface of your skin and not so easily seen.
They might cause your skin to swell, harden, and turn darker or red.
COMPRESSION STOCKINGS
These can help by squeezing the veins to prevent blood from pooling. They work best if you wear them every day. You can try a low-tech version by wearing support pantyhose, which offer some of the same compression effect.
You can buy compression stockings over the counter at drug stores. Or your doctor may give you a prescription for compression stockings that you get at a medical supply store or pharmacy. A trained worker will fit the stockings specifically for you. This type gives you the most support.
OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS
There are other things you can try beyond lifestyle changes and compression stockings, and they can usually be done in a doctor’s office. These procedures include:
- Injections: Your doctor might close off veins by injecting a substance that causes them to scar and shut down.
Lasers: Doctors use bursts of light to close down veins. This works best on smaller veins.
Heat: Larger veins might require the use of a catheter to apply heat to the vein.
Removal: Your doctor might take out the vein through a series of tiny skin punctures. Another procedure involves tying off a vein and removing it.