What Is Varithena®, and How Does It Help My Varicose Veins?

Your veins return blood to your heart after it has traveled to the farthest regions of your body. The veins in your legs have the toughest job because they work against gravity to send blood upward from your feet to your heart. Fortunately, those veins come equipped with tiny one-way valves that prevent backflow, making the task much easier.

But if those valves get damaged, blood pools in the vein — a condition called venous insufficiency. Over time, the pooled blood causes the vein to bulge, and you can see and feel it on your skin. 

These are varicose veins, and they can appear in a range of colors from blue or purple to green or red. Some look ropey and twisted, and some are straight and streaky, but they all have one thing in common — they’re unwelcome eyesores.

If you’re tired of hiding your varicose veins, it’s time to seek a quick and painless treatment at the Cardiovascular Institute of America in Tampa and Lutz, Florida. Here, Dr. Muthu Velusamy, our triple-board certified cardiology and vascular specialist, explains how Varithena® works and why it may be your best option for getting rid of your unsightly varicose veins.

Ways to get rid of varicose veins

Varicose veins are mainly a cosmetic issue, meaning they cause no medical concern. However, if they’re a symptom of a problem with your circulatory system, it’s important to seek medical attention. If you have varicose veins accompanied by leg cramps, skin discoloration, pain, wounds that won’t heal, or swelling, come see Dr. Velusamy right away.

Even if your varicose veins are merely aesthetic problems, they still cause self-confidence issues, which is why so many people seek treatment to get rid of them. Until recently, your treatment options began with making changes to your lifestyle by exercising more (to improve circulation), losing weight (to alleviate pressure on weak veins), and helping your blood flow through your veins more easily by wearing compression stockings, elevating your feet, and avoiding long-term sitting or standing. While these methods may marginally improve your varicose veins, they won’t get rid of them or prevent them from returning.

Medical treatments are also available. For many years, varicose vein stripping — the surgical removal of the problematic vein or veins — was the go-to procedure. However, less invasive treatments have replaced that technique. 

Endovenous ablation is one of the most effective treatments available and one that Dr. Velusamy offers. This procedure uses radiofrequency or laser energy to destroy the vein and render it useless. At that point, your body absorbs and flushes away the dead tissue and reroutes your blood to nearby healthier veins.

Sclerotherapy — injection of a chemical into your vein to destroy the tissue — is another option. Over time, the vein caves in and disappears. 

What is Varithena?

Varithena is a new and improved type of sclerotherapy. However, instead of a liquid chemical, Varithena is a patented foam that contains a combination of polidocanol, a sclerosing medication, and natural gases that create countless tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide and oxygen that fill your varicose veins. 

How does Varithena treat varicose veins?

These gases create the foam effect that differentiates Varithena from other types of sclerotherapy. Not only does the chemical component destroy the damaged tissues, but the foam displaces the blood in the vein, making the task of vein destruction more efficient and complete. 

Another significant difference between Varithena and traditional sclerotherapy is that Varithena can be used on deeper and larger varicose veins, even those you can’t see on the surface of your skin. Dr. Velusamy uses ultrasound imaging to guide the injection needle to the precise location to ensure accuracy. 

To find out if Varithena is the right treatment for your varicose veins, schedule a consultation with Dr. Velusamy by calling either of our two offices or booking an appointment online today. You could be wearing shorts with confidence before the summer’s out.