Can I Use Cream to Treat Varicose Veins?
Up to 35% of Americans experience varicose veins. When considering a treatment option, many try different home remedies because they might seem more affordable than seeing a doctor.
There is a wide variety of drug store cream products that advertise that they can cure varicose veins and spider veins. However, these creams and ointments cannot truly treat the underlying cause of varicose veins. At best, they can help temporarily relieve the symptoms or mask the appearance of spider veins. It's highly recommended that the patient should consult a vein specialist for diagnosis and treatment options. Varicose veins can worsen over time without timely and proper treatment, and they might pose a life-threatening health issues such as blood clots or deep vein thrombosis.
If you are worried about the cost of vein treatment, vein disease is most often covered by an insurance plan. At Physicians Vein Clinics, we accept a wide variety of insurances including Medicare. In case your condition isn't qualified for insurance coverage, we offer finance options through CareCredit and GreenSky. As the procedure is conducted in-office, pricing is way more affordable than hospital treatment.
What Are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted, bulging veins that appear most often on the legs. Varicose veins can cause pain or discomfort while walking or after a long physical day. Other symptoms that you might experience include swelling, cramps, itching, burning, or skin discoloration on the legs. Varicose veins are one of the most common visible signs of chronic vein insufficiency.
Varicose veins develop as the valves malfunction and blood can't flow back to the heart. Therefore, blood starts to pool in the legs, darkening the skin and causing spider veins, varicose veins, or other vein-related symptoms.
Does Varicose Vein Cream Work?
While prescribed pills, lotion, cream, essential oils can help manage the pain and mask the symptoms, these home-remedy products can't cure varicose veins. These topical products can't penetrate deeply enough into the faulty valves. It's impossible to treat varicose veins or spider veins completely with these products.
There are medical products available that can help reduce swelling, improve skin texture, and reduce itching or bruising; but they are more of a temporary solution. Without treating the underlying condition, varicose veins and spider veins will keep coming back and might worsen over time.
Cream, lotions, and other products can help the healing process once the damaged veins have been treated. These creams will not cure varicose veins; they can only minimize inflammation, swelling and help soothe the skin.
Treatment Options for Varicose Veins
Though creams are inexpensive and non-invasive, you would need minimally invasive procedures from certified vein specialists to permanently eliminate your vein condition (spider veins and varicose veins).
At Physicians Vein Clinics, our vein clinics use the most advanced technologies for vein care and treatments. Some of the procedures include:
Sclerotherapy: The vein physician injects a safe foam into the faulty veins to collapse them. The vein shrinks and blood is rerouted to the healthy veins.
Endovenous Laser Ablation: A thin catheter is inserted and seals off the veins with a laser. Blood then flows to nearby healthy veins.
Depending on your vein condition, a vein doctor will determine a treatment plan for you.
Varicose Vein Clinic Near Me
Our vein clinics have sseveral vein locations across South Dakota, Iowa, and Minneapolis. Our vein physicians are board-certified and highly skilled in treating varicose veins, spider veins, and other vein-related symptoms.