The Vein Doctor

Experts agree that Microsclerotherapy is the best treatment for thread veins and spider veins on the legs. In this video, Catharine McGuinness, a vascular specialist at the VeinCare Centre demonstrates the treatment.

Microsclerotherapy is a medical treatment that involves injecting a prescription medicine called a sclerosant directly into the spider veins. Don’t worry, it’s not painful: an ultra-fine needle is used, only slightly bigger than a human hair, which you can barely feel. The technique requires good illumination and magnification.

The sclerosant works by removing the lining of the vein almost instantly (this is also not … Continue reading »

Its official and experts agree: endothermal ablation is the best treatment for varicose veins, varicose eczema and leg ulceration.

In the video below, Catharine McGuinness, a vascular specialist at the VeinCare Centre demonstrates the treatment. Over 50% of us will be affected by a vein condition such as varicose veins, varicose eczema or leg ulceration. In most cases, they are caused by a fault in the one-way valves of the superficial veins that lie just under the skin which causes down flow of blood in the wrong direction, a condition called superficial venous reflux. The most commonly affected vein is the Great … Continue reading »

Venaseal™ or ‘superglue’ treatment by Sapheon is a unique non-surgical treatment that uses a medical adhesive to safely and effectively treat varicose veins.

Venaseal Super Glue Applicator

Isabella Byrne from Somerset describes her experience of having her veins treated and the results. Unlike other treatments, VenaSeal™ does not require tumescent local anaesthetic around the vein, so there are far fewer injections. The VenaSeal™ procedure also eliminates the use of heat (or thermal energy) so there is virtually no risk of nerve or skin injury. As the medical … Continue reading »

Varicose Veins can appear for the first time in pregnancy and may become so painful that pregnant mothers seek varicose vein treatment. So can varicose veins be treated safely during pregnancy?

In general, varicose veins should not be treated during pregnancy and there are 4 main reasons.

-1) Increased risk of DVT and PE. Pregnancy is a period in which there is an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. Compared women who are not pregnant, the risk of venous … Continue reading »

There are dramatic changes in the female body during pregnancy and often varicose veins and thread veins appear for the first time. I will discuss the main changes that occur in the venous circulation and I will review the evidence for a causal link between varicose veins and pregnancy.

During the last trimester of pregnancy there is an increase in the maternal circulating blood volume to provide increased oxygen and nutrient carrying capacity for the developing fetus. Most of this increased circulation is accommodated in the veins of the legs. This is also facilitated by increases in progesterone and estrogen which … Continue reading »

Painful Varicose Veins

June Cox has had an amazing result from her varicose veins treatment. June, who lives in Bournemouth in Dorset, initially saw me at my clinic in Poole. From an early age she had developed varicose veins in both legs which deteriorated when she started a family and became pregnant. Over the years they got worse causing her pain, discomfort, swelling and a “fidgety” sensation. Unfortunately, her GP couldn’t help her. Treatment for her varicose veins was not … Continue reading »

Private medical treatment for varicose veins, thread veins and the complications of venous disease can be expensive. Traditional treatment by surgical stripping or treatments under general anaesthetic in a hospital are no longer necessary and the costs can be difficult to work out. There may be separate fees for the surgeon, for the radiologist or vascular technologist who performs the scan, for the anaesthetist and for the hospital. Additional fees may be charged for bandages, medical stockings, medication and for follow appointments and duplex ultrasound scans. The fees can be obscure and difficult to investigate and they all add up. … Continue reading »

Sheila In Yesterday's Daily Express

Yesterday, one of my patients was featured in the Daily Express.  After having the Venaseal™ Closure System for the varicose veins in both her legs, Sheila Sibley from Yeovil can’t believe how good her legs feel. After years of restless, twitchy legs at night, Sheila hasn’t any problems since the varicose veins were treated. “Its early days” said Sheila, “but by now I am sure I would have had the … Continue reading »

Recently, I treated Emma from Bristol who developed very large, uncomfortable varicose veins around her vulva and upper thigh during pregnancy. After she had her baby, the veins around her vulva disappeared but the veins in her thigh persisted and gradually got worse. Her duplex ultrasound scan showed that the veins in her thigh were filling from her ovaries.

She had a condition called “Ovarian Vein Reflux”. The treatment for this is controversial, but my approach is to treat these veins with ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy unless there are symptoms of pelvic pain, bladder irritation or pain during intercourse. So far, … Continue reading »

The VeinCare Centre regularly holds free information and educational events for the public on topics related to varicose veins, thread veins other vein problems. Our next series of Open Events is planned for 2nd and 3rd March 2013 in Poole, Dorchester, Yeovil and Bristol.

Past VeinCare Open Events have been very well attended and feedback from those who have come has been extremely positive.

The events will consist of a presentation followed by demonstrations and “Question and Answers”.

Those who attend are … Continue reading »