Leg Vein Treatment

Jean Trost R.N.,B.S.N. received her advanced sclerotherapy training under Thomas Sims, MD, Willamette Vein Center in Oregon.

Welcome to Bella Tu! Your decision to seek treatment on your leg veins is an important one. Many women want great looking legs but they do not know where to turn to for help. Please allow us to help you and get awesome legs!

Funny enough, most of our patients feel like 'they are the only one' with unsightly leg veins. You are not alone!

Leg veins are caused by many factors with heredity being the number one cause. Here is some important information about vein disease and vein treatment:

What causes leg veins? How much improvement can I expect?

Vein disease is inherited. Other factors are childbirth, obesity, and standing for long periods of time.

Although results of treatment are often dramatic, as with all cosmetic procedures, with sclerotherapy we look for improvement; not perfection. If we can obtain 75% improvement in veins, we are doing very well. Improvement more than 75% of the time happens regularly and is excellent.

Results of vein treatment can vary from person to person. Some people obtain complete resolution of their vein problems, a rare person sees no improvement, and many see improvement somewhere in between. Results cannot be guaranteed, but generally speaking most people are very pleased with their treatment results.

How many treatements do I need?

Sclerotherapy is NOT a one time treatment. Several treatments are required so please be patient. Iimprovement takes time. Just as is takes 9 months to make a baby, it may take several months for you to see results from your treatment. This is especially true for treatment of spider veins. So be patient and allow the process to work!

CAN SCLEROTHERAPY CAUSE NEW VEINS?

Vein treatment does not change your genetic make up. Although vein treatment can help reduce how soon and how many future veins will form. Chances are, as time goes by, you likely will continue to develop new veins in the future. But having sclerotherapy treatment itself does NOT cause new veins to develop.

HOW CAN YOU TELL HOW MANY TREATMENTS I'LL NEED?

Everyone wants to know how many treatments will be required. It is important to remember that people respond to vein treatment differently and that vein treatment must be performed in a very precise manner. Don't forget that, for optimal results, we must always treat feeder veins under the surface of the skin before veins visible on the surface of the skin can be successfully eradicated. Feeder veins are often green in color.

Unsightly veins visible on the surface of the skin acually originate from veins deep benieath the skin surface from what we call 'feeder' or reticular veins. Simply treating the spider veins without treating the feeder veins is literally like putting the cart in front of the horse, so to speak. Have you ever had someone say to you 'Oh, I had sclerotherapy once and it didn't work.' Treatment of a reticular vein may actually 'treat' a spider. By closing the reticular vein 'feeding' a spider area, the resultant lowering of pressure and blood flow into the spider vein may actually cause the spider to fade on its own without being injected. We know what it takes to make your legs look and feel better. Please trust us and allow us to treat you correctly.

HOW ARE THE TREATMENTS SPACED?

At the conclusion of each treatment session you will be given a day and time for your next treatment. The timing of this next appointment --that is, the interval between appointments-- is crucial to success. When treating diseased veins with sclerotherapy the body will try to 'heal itsel' if treatment (closure of the vein) is not entirely completed. This self-healing processes called 'recanalization' means that veins partially treated (closed) will tend to open back up again if continued treatment is not carried out at the proper time. Naturally, then, vein recanalization is to be avoided. The result of recanalization is backsliding (regression) and loss of treatment response. To prevent recanalization, keep all treatments and treatment intervals exactly as they are scheduled for you!

Appointments for feeder veins are spaced 2-4 weeks a part. Spider veins are treated 4-6 weeks a part. There are always, of course, exceptions to this rule.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS SOME APPOINTMENTS?

There are many reasons to not miss or reschedule appointments but here is the main one -- missing a treatment at the proper time interval may significantly reduce your chances for good success and may cost you money!

I mentioned earlier that the timing of treatments is vital to success in order to prevent 'vein recanization' - the process in which veins can open back up if treatment is not carried out to completion.

Here's an example of what can happen:
Suppose a vein is treated today and that same vein requires another treatment in two weeks. Then suppose that two week appointment is missed and rescheduled for four weeks. If this should happen there is a strong probability that the two week delay in treatment could cause that partially treated vein to open back up (recanalize) even to the point that all results obtained from the first treatment is lost and the first treatment will have to be repeated again.

This means another additional treatment session and a greater cost.

We want you to get the best results of your treatment in the shortest time and lowest cost possible.

We know that sometimes emergencies happen and you must reschedule. But be careful. Don't backslide on your treatment. You've made a commitment to yourself for yourself. Stick with the program until finished and you will have the greatest chance for success.

WILL MY INSURANCE PAY FOR SCLEROTHERAPY?

Everyone wants to know if insurance will pay for their vein treatment. Please bear in mind that there are no hard and fast rules about insurance reimbursement for vein treatment procedures and that insurance companies have differing criteria by which they determine payment.

In general terms the following seems to apply to many companies: none will pay for cosmetic surface sclerotherapy. Many of our treatments are considered new and modern cutting edge technologies and because of this, some insurance companies will pay for nothing we do.

Bella Tu is not affiliated with any particular insurance plan or Medicare. Payment is due at the time treatment is performed. We gladly accept MC/VISA, checks, or cash at time of service.

WHAT SIDE EFFECTS CAN I EXPECT?

There is no magic to sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy treatment is a real medical procedure which at times can be complex. Accordingly, as with all medical procedures, it is not uncommon to experience minor side effects following a sclerotherapy treatment session.

True emergencies after sclerotherapy are extremely rare. If you think you have a true medical emergency following sclerotherapy, call 911 and/or proceed to the nearest hospital emergency room or urgency care center.

Minor irritations following sclerotherapy, however, are very common and generally are nothing to be concerned about. The most common of these are bruising, redness in the skin, lumps under the skin with or without areas of tenderness and itching. These 'complications' usually require no treatment other than the wearing of the treatment stocking, taking some Tylenol, Advil or Nuprin type product and applying topical over the counter cortisone cream. Rarely do these minor problems lead to any lasting complications.

WHY DO I HAVE TO WEAR COMPRESSION HOSE?

They're warm. They're tight. They can be difficult to get on. But medical studies have proven that the wearing of compression treatment stockings following all sclerotherapy treatment sessions is vital to success. Today's therapeutic stockings now look and feel more like pantyhose which is great news for those of us who want successful treatments and who want to look good in the process!

WHAT ELSE CAN I EXPECT?

A few days after treatment you may feel a small lump under your skin you think is a blood clot. The area may even be red and tender. Don't worry. This is a common occurrence which is usually nothing to worry about.

Sclerotherapy is a 'process' which causes changes inside the vein similar to a 'blood clot'. However, this 'clot' that occurs after sclerotherapy is not really a clot at all in the true sense of the word -- it is simply a small amount of blood which has become trapped within the veins that were treated by sclerotherapy. This trapped blood is NOT dangerous; it is not the same as deep vein blood clots that can cause serious problems.

These tender lumps of trapped blood, should they occur, can be treated at home by faithfully wearing your treatment stockings, by applying moist heat over the area of tenderness (such as a heating pad) and by taking ibuprofen (Advil or Nuprin) or Tylenol. Sometimes we evacuate these areas of trapped blood during your next treatment session.

It is not vain to want to treat your leg veins. You deserve only the best and we, at Bella Tu, are here to help you reach your goals. Free leg assessment is always available and encouraged. Please call us at 425-398-9001 and schedule and appointment with Jean Trost R.N.,B.S.N. today and get awesome legs by summer!

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