If you have bulging veins that cause you embarrassment or discomfort, talk to your doctor about treatment options. You can have varicose veins removed for cosmetic or medical reasons, and there are different approaches your doctor can take. One option for varicose vein treatment is ambulatory phlebectomy. Here's how this procedure is done, and how it can improve your discomfort and help the appearance of your legs.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy Removes The Vein

One reason ambulatory phlebectomy is often preferred over other types of varicose vein treatments is that the veins are removed immediately. This can provide quick relief from discomfort caused by the veins, and it causes an immediate improvement in the way your legs look.

Some other varicose vein treatments close off the vein with injected foam, radiofrequency treatments, or lasers. These treatments cause the vein to close and slowly be absorbed by your body. While they eliminate varicose veins, it can take weeks for the veins to disappear. With ambulatory phlebectomy, the results are immediate.

The Procedure Uses Tiny Incisions

The veins are removed through small incisions made along the sides of each vein. The area is numbed first, so there is no pain during the procedure. A medical instrument is used to hook onto the vein and pull it out through an incision.

The incisions needed are so small that they can be closed with a bandage and no stitches are needed. If you have several veins you want to be removed, you might need multiple treatment sessions to get them all.

You'll Need To Wear Compression Stockings

You'll need to wear compression stockings for several days after the procedure, and you may take antibiotics to help ward off an infection. Recovery from this type of varicose vein treatment is usually fast.

You might resume most of your usual activities in a day or two. However, you'll probably be advised to avoid strenuous activity until the incisions have healed. Bruising and bumps under the skin are usually normal and will go away. Some bleeding might be normal too, but if you have concerns during your recovery, call your doctor for advice.

Ambulatory phlebectomy is often done in combination with other varicose vein treatments. For instance, if you have tiny spider veins too, you might want those removed, but ambulatory phlebectomy isn't the right procedure for those.

Also, bulging veins under the surface of your skin are often caused by deeper vein problems. If you have this problem, your doctor might need to treat your deep veins first with a different method and then follow that with ambulatory phlebectomy to eliminate the surface veins.

For more information, reach out to a medical office that offers varicose vein treatment.