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What Is Varicose Vein Stripping?

Varicose vein stripping is a surgical procedure that removes varicose veins from the legs or thighs. Varicose veins are the puffy and twisted veins that you can see under the skin. They usually have a red or bluish-purple color. Varicose veins most often appear in the legs, but they may also develop in other parts of the body.

Varicose veins form in the legs when the valves in the veins aren’t functioning correctly. Veins normally have one-way valves that prevent your blood from flowing back up toward the heart. When these valves don’t work properly, blood begins to collect in the vein rather than continuing to the heart. This makes the vein fill with blood, resulting in painful, swollen veins.

Varicose vein stripping treats varicose veins and helps prevent them from coming back. The procedure is also known as vein stripping with ligation, avulsion, or ablation.

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