Varicose veins are a common disease
You will find press releases on the topic here
Spider veins and varicose veins – a first-hand patient report: finally good looking legs again
The summer weather starts and short skirts and shorts can be fetched out of the wardrobe again. Spider veins and varicose veins not only spoil the look of summer outfits, but may also cause serious health problems. It is now in particular that the desire to have attractive healthy legs once again comes to the fore. The Munich expert phlebologist Dr. Stephan Guggenbichler and his patient Ms G. describe how it can be done.
In hot summer weather, we want to take full advantage of the best days of the year – if there were not the unsightly spider veins that can be seen as bluish to reddish-purple blemishes on the legs. It is not only elderly people who are affected; young women can also suffer from spider veins. And, despite many people thinking to the contrary, a large number of men have them, too.
Even though spider veins are usually not harmful, they can be a precursor of serious vein weakness. The consequences of varicose veins that are left untreated for a long time may be chronic skin changes, inflammation of the veins, and blood clots. Despite the aesthetically unsightly changes in the legs and the potentially dangerous complications, many of those affected do not even see a doctor because they are frightened of operations.
Ms G. also had a few reservations when she consulted Dr. Stephan Guggenbichler, a phlebologist from Munich, for the first time. She had suffered from spider veins and varicose veins of the legs since her two pregnancies and these veins had enlarged and multiplied over the years. After a thorough examination, Dr. Guggenbichler recommended her to have treatment with sclerotherapy. This procedure consists of injecting a medicine into the diseased veins using a fine needle. This closes off the veins, which are then broken down and resorbed into the body over the following weeks. “For small varicose veins, such as spider veins, sclerotherapy is the treatment of choice worldwide”, confirms Dr. Guggenbichler.
“Injections have always made me feel a bit dizzy”, says Ms G. “So I was not sure about it and was a bit nervous.” But during the sclerotherapy session, she soon realised that the treatment process is not that bad. “I remember a slight unpleasant pain only very rarely, but it did not last very long.” Dr. Guggenbichler had explained beforehand that she must have a little patience while her body broke down and resorbed the spider veins and it could be a while before she saw the full effects of treatment. As varicose vein disease is a chronic condition, new spider veins and varicose veins may appear at other places. Important in such cases is that follow-up treatment can be carried out at any time. “It is a bit like the dentist’s – you have to go regularly for long-lasting good results”, admits Ms G.
Two years after therapy, Ms G. is happy to report that there are still no spider veins to be seen in the area treated. “From my own experience, I can certainly recommend sclerotherapy to any woman who considers the cosmetic aspects to be important and who, like me, is looking for a minimally invasive treatment.” Ms G. sees the easy application as a particular advantage. “The outpatient treatment is just like any other visit to the doctor’s.” She was able to resume all her everyday activities straight after the sclerotherapy, with no restrictions. So why wait? Make an appointment with a phlebologist and look forward to the summer.