Many people visit us because of the visible, unsightly veins that render them unable to wear shorts. Others do so because they no longer wish to live with the painful symptoms associated with varicose veins. But beneath the surface, there’s another reason to have your veins treated. If you ignore them, there is an increased risk of developing other, often more severe, health issues, including varicose eczema.
Varicose Eczema:
If you suffer from varicose eczema, you may experience a dry, scaly rash, discoloured skin, achy legs, swelling and an uncomfortable feeling of heat in your legs. If left untreated, the skin may deteriorate further, leading to open sores.
Cellulitis:
Another skin condition that can occur where varicose veins are left untreated is cellulitis. The skin becomes firm, dry, itchy, tender, and fragile. Unlike healthy skin, this delicate surface is more likely to see bacterial infections enter the tissues through cracked or broken skin.
Venous Leg Ulcers:
An open wound on the leg, usually the lower half, is often a venous leg ulcer. If you have a shallow, irregularly shaped, yellow, or red wound on your leg that is usually painful and oozes, you may have a venous leg ulcer. Injury (as little as an insect bite) or pressure may be the initial cause of these wounds. Or it may be a bacterial infection, but venous insufficiency is often the root cause of these ulcers.
Our vein specialist, Dr David Orsbourn, has a background in general practice. During this time, he saw many patients present with skin conditions on their lower legs and consistently advocated treating the underlying cause. The good news is that David can do this with the minimally invasive walk-in, walk-out treatments he now offers in both Nelson and Blenheim.
A complimentary, full doctor’s vein assessment and scan helps determine the most suitable treatment for you.
The Treatment Options:
- Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy (UGFS) uses specialised ultrasound equipment to guide injections of sclerosant to close the vein permanently. This procedure is virtually painless, so it requires no anaesthesia.
- Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA), the gold standard varicose vein treatment, again, requires no general anaesthesia or hospital stay. You walk in and walk out (wearing compression stockings for two weeks) and can drive home afterwards. Like UGFS, there’s no downtime, and you can be back at work the next day.
- Venaseal Glue is another option for a small number of patients with advantages Dr David explains to those who he feels will benefit from this treatment.
Remember, we have Affiliated Provider status with Southern Cross for varicose vein treatment and can accept payment through all other health insurance providers. Treatment costs always include your follow up appointments for twelve months.
If you believe you have varicose eczema or any other skin condition, let us help you treat the root cause. Contact us to book an appointment.
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