All our varicose vein treatments are performed on a walk in/walk out basis. We offer up to date, evidence based minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins. The treatment is provided by an experienced team with expertise in venous disease, working alongside the professional and dedicated staff at The Aberdeen Clinic:
2 vascular surgeons with special interest in endovenous vein treatments and experienced sonographers for ultrasound imaging.
The Aberdeen Clinic follows UK national best practice guidelines based on the recently published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines
You can be confident we offer you the most up to date, individualised treatment for your varicose and thread/spider veins
General Varicose Vein information
Varicose Veins
Veins with poorly or
non-functioning valves enlarge and then become varicose veins. They can have a
bluish colour and bulge on the leg surface. Symptoms may include heaviness,
aching, throbbing, itching and cramps or tiredness in the legs. Some patients
may have skin discoloration, inflammation or ulcers on the skin.
How are Varicose
Veins treated?
Varicose veins can be
treated with stockings, surgery, laser, radiofrequency ablation, injection
sclerotherapy or a combination of these treatments depending on the size and
distribution of the veins.
What
are thread veins?
Thread veins (‘spider’ or ‘reticular’
veins) are extremely common and are usually left untreated due to constraints
on the NHS. Most thread veins cause no symptoms apart from minor aching or
throbbing but the cosmetic appearance may be a considerable cause of distress.
What
treatments are available for thread veins?
It is important to treat any underlying varicose
veins before considering treatment of thread veins. This will be part of the
full clinical assessment before deciding on the correct treatment. It should
also be noted that no treatment for thread veins can be guaranteed to be 100%
effective; the aim is to improve the cosmetic appearance. Thread veins
are harmless and do not need treatment. It is very unusual for the veins to
cause symptoms and even if there are symptoms in the area of the veins,
treatment may not help. Treatment is therefore usually cosmetic.
Thread veins can be treated using laser or
injections. As a general rule, laser treatments are better for facial veins and
injection works better for leg veins. The sclerosant that we use is called
Sodium Tetradecyl Sulphate (STS, ‘Fibrovein’) which has been used for injecting
veins since the 1940s.