Do Veins Grow Back After Removal?

If you’ve got varicose veins, there are plenty of reasons to seek vein treatment. The right treatment can alleviate pain, improve the appearance of your legs, and even increase your mobility. But is varicose vein treatment permanent, or do varicose veins return after treatment?

If your varicose veins are properly and successfully treated, it’s very unlikely that they will return. However, in some cases, you can form new varicose veins in the same area. What constitutes good treatment for spider veins and varicose veins? There are plenty of non-invasive options, like radiofrequency ablation, ambulatory phlebectomy, sclerotherapy, and endovenous laser ablation. These treatments address the underlying causes of varicose veins, rather than simply treating the veins near the skin. After these treatments, varicose veins are extremely unlikely to return.

An older technique that some doctors still use, though, is vein removal, also called vein stripping. This is a complex process that requires general anesthesia and has a lengthy recovery time. Worse, though, it often results in the veins returning! Why? When doctors remove veins from the body, the natural healing process compels the body to regrow those veins, in a process called post-operative neovascularization. When these veins grow back, they don’t have valves, so they’re immediately faulty, and varicose veins will come back worse than before. Minimally invasive procedures, then, are a better way to go. Not only are they more effective in the long run, but they also don’t require downtime and usually take 30 minutes or less. In some cases, though, varicose veins can recur in the same spot where they were treated with one of these techniques. Let’s look at some reasons that this could happen.

• If your doctor doesn’t perform a thorough vein evaluation, your veins may not be treated correctly. A vein evaluation is an important part of the vein treatment process, because only by determining the cause and extent of the damage can the doctor effectively treat the veins. Make sure you work with a doctor who is thorough and careful and who will find the right procedure for you instead of applying a “one-size-fits-all” solution.
• Doctors who aren’t experienced in different types of treatment are limited. Maybe a doctor is extremely skilled in one type of vein treatment. If that’s not the right kind for your veins, your end result won’t be optimal. Look for a doctor who is skilled and experienced in a variety of procedures and techniques before deciding on vein treatment.
• Your family history and lifestyle choices can impact the results of your vein treatment. If your parents and grandparents suffered from varicose veins, you may experience them throughout your lifetime, despite the best treatment. Further, lifestyle factors like smoking, leading a sedentary lifestyle, sitting or standing for long periods of time, and being overweight can increase your risk of forming new varicose veins, even after successful treatment. Talk to your doctor to learn what you can do to reduce your risk of varicose veins.

If you’re seeking the very best care for your varicose veins and other vein issues, trust the board-certified physicians at the Arizona Vein & Laser Institute. Using the most advanced technology, the vascular and cardiovascular surgeons at the Arizona Vein & Laser Institute provide care for all types of venous diseases. With over 40 years of experience, our team of experienced physicians can devise the right treatment plan to address your venous disease problems. For more information contact us through our website.