Look no further! Read on to find out more about the condition, and the way it is treated. If you are looking for a varicose veins procedure (Singapore) that enables you to be treated for your condition, do not worry as there are many types of procedures available for you, all conducted by a varicose vein specialist (Singapore).

In the human body, veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart, and in the legs, veins carry blood against gravity’s pull. The leg veins are able to move blood against gravity due to the presence of one-way valves within the vein which prevent the backflow of blood. A Varicose vein is a condition in which the veins are weakened, twisted and enlarged. They appear as dark blue or purple in colour, and in some cases, they cause the skin to bulge. There is also a milder type of varicose veins, known as spider veins.

Causes

Varicose veins is the condition in which the valves located in the veins have been weakened or damaged. As a result, blood is allowed to flow in the opposite direction, causing an abnormal blood flow, and causing the vein to be stretched and twisted. Varicose veins can happen to any vein in the body, but they commonly occur at the legs. This is because activities such as standing and walking causes increased pressure in the veins in the limbs, which can weaken or damage the valves in the veins.

There are multiple factors that can increase the risk of developing varicose veins. They have been listed below:
Age. Ageing can result in wear and tear of the valves in the veins. As a result, the valves in the veins are weakened, thus allowing the blood to flow in the opposite direction, causing varicose veins.
Gender. Women are generally more likely to develop varicose veins, due to their hormonal changes during pregnancy and/or menopause, which causes the walls of the veins to be relaxed. This therefore leads to varicose veins.
Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the volume of blood in the body increases, there is also pressure from the growing foetus on the blood flow in the pelvic region and legs, and also increased production of the hormone progesterone. All these factors result in increased pooling of blood in the pelvis and legs and makes it more difficult for the blood to travel against gravity back to the heart.
Obesity: Being overweight causes increased pressure in the lower leg veins, which can damage and/or weaken the valves in your veins, thus resulting in varicose veins.
Standing or sitting for long periods: When one sits or stands for long periods, blood pools in the leg veins, which can increase the pressure in the veins, causing them to stretch, resulting in varicose veins. Family history: There may be genetic factors influencing the likelihood of you having varicose veins. If many of your family members have had varicose veins, you may also have varicose veins in future.

Symptom

Although you could have varicose veins or spider veins without any symptoms, some people may feel pain because of their varicose veins. Spider veins are smaller and found close to the skin’s surface as compared to varicose veins. Spider veins can also appear on the face.

Below is a list of possible signs and symptoms that you may experience if you have varicose veins: [1]

• Visible dark purple or blue veins
• Veins that look twisted and bulging

Pain and other symptoms from varicose veins include:

• Achy and/or heavy feeling in your limbs
• Muscle cramping, throbbing, and burning in your limbs
• Pain worsens after sitting or standing after long periods      
• Itching around your veins
• Skin discolouration

Treatment for Varicose Veins

If you are looking for varicose vein treatment, Singapore has many types of treatment options available for you! Below is a list of varicose vein treatment options available, all of which are conducted by a varicose vein specialist (Singapore):

• Conservative non-surgical treatment
  • Conservative non-surgical treatment makes use of tight compression socks, which would aid the flow of blood in the veins and alleviate the symptoms. This would also prevent the disease from progressing further.
• Traditional open surgery (High-tie and vein stripping)
  • The vein is removed during an open surgery, where the surgeon will tie off the vein and the vein is then stripped down the leg. [4]
• Minimally invasive varicose veins procedure Singapore
  • Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA)
    • In radiofrequency ablation, radio waves are used to heat up the inner surface of the vein walls. This causes the varicose veins to seal off, thus causing blood to be directed to other healthy veins. It is a relatively safe and fast procedure and takes less than an hour to complete. 
  • Venseal™/VenaBlock Glue Closure
    • This procedure makes use of a small amount of medicine (Cyanoacrylate glue) to seal off the varicose vein, directing the blood flow to the other healthy veins. This is a very minimally invasive procedure that can be completed within half an hour.
  • Clarivein™ Mechanochemical Ablation
    • This procedure makes use of the mechanical and chemical closure of the varicose vein. Firstly, through the use of a special catheter that has a wire rotating at high speed, the inner walls of the varicose vein is stimulated. Then, at the same time, a sclerosant, a chemical that seals off veins, is injected into the vein. This is a relatively painless procedure that requires less local anaesthesia injections as compared to other procedures. Additionally, there is no risk of damaging the nearby blood vessels in this procedure as well, hence, it is relatively safe.
  • Cryo-Laser and Cryo-Sclerotherapy (CLaCs)
    • This procedure is used to treat vascular malformations as well as varicose veins. It is also suitable for spider veins. CLaCs combine both transdermal laser and injection sclerotherapy using a chemical sclerosant (a chemical that seals off veins), while keeping the skin at a cool temperature of about -20℃. This process leaves minimal scarring and pigmentation, and is relatively painless.

If you suspect you have varicose veins and if they are giving you problems, do seek medical attention immediately and undergo a varicose veins procedure (Singapore) today.

If you are looking for varicose vein treatment (Singapore), head down to our clinic, the Vascular and Interventional Centre, located at Novena Specialist Centre Singapore to consult our varicose vein specialist (Singapore).

Alternatively, you can contact us and book an appointment with one of our vascular specialists, by calling us at +65 6694 6270, or emailing us at [email protected].