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How are varicose veins treated?

The goals of varicose vein treatment are to reduce symptoms and prevent complications. For some, the goal may be improved appearance. Home treatment is typically the first approach.
Home treatment

Home treatment may be all you need to ease your symptoms and keep the varicose veins from getting worse. You can:

• Wear compression stockings.
• Prop up (elevate) your legs.
• Avoid long periods of sitting or standing.
• Get plenty of exercise.

Procedures

If home treatment doesn’t help, there are procedures that can treat varicose veins. These include:

Laser treatment.

Laser energy is used to scar and destroy varicose veins. This is called ablation.

• Simple laser therapy is done on small veins close to the skin, such as spider veins. The laser is used outside of your skin.
• Endovenous laser therapy uses a laser fiber inserted into the vein. Laser ablation inside the vein makes the vein close up.

Ligation and stripping.

• Cuts (incisions) are made over the varicose vein, and the vein is tied off (ligated) and removed (stripped).

Read more at Stanford Health Care

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