For more information, visit https://vividvascular.com/.

About Vivid Vascular

Vivid Vascular is a boutique-style medical facility dedicated to diagnosing and treating medical and cosmetic vascular disorders. We offer a comprehensive approach to treating a broad range of vascular conditions, including the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technology.

Vivid Vascular is the creation of Dr. Adam Gropper, MD, President of North Beach Radiology Associates and former Chief of Radiology at the Jackson Health System Community Hospitals. He has performed thousands of procedures on diseased arteries and veins in hospitals. Unlike the hospital environment, Vivid Vascular is a calm, soothing environment where the doctor and staff focus their complete attention on each patient’s needs.

Via Newswire.

Brianna Molina, Vivid Vascular’s Technical Director, and a registered vascular technologist with over 10 years of experience, was instrumental in obtaining the remote, online accreditation. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University and went on to work at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. After 11 years with Mount Sinai she moved down to Miami and joined the Vivid Vascular team.

“Ensuring top-notch care for every patient, regardless of age, is our priority at Vivid Vascular,” says Dr. Adam S. Gropper, Board-Certified Interventional Radiologist and Founder of Vivid Vascular. “Achieving IAC® accreditation represents a seal of approval, guaranteeing our consistent adherence to the highest standards. We take pride in combining the latest technology with a caring, compassionate, patient-centric attitude to provide the best care throughout Miami and South Florida. The ability to provide this level of consistency is truly satisfying. Many thanks to our ultrasonographer Brianna Molina, for taking the lead on this vital accomplishment.”

For more information, visit https://vividvascular.com/ and https://intersocietal.org/.

About Vivid Vascular

Vivid Vascular is a boutique-style medical facility dedicated to diagnosing and treating medical and cosmetic vascular disorders. We offer a comprehensive approach to treating a broad range of vascular conditions, including the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technology.

Vivid Vascular is the creation of Dr. Adam Gropper, MD, President of North Beach Radiology Associates and Chief of Radiology at the Jackson Health System Community Hospitals. He has performed thousands of procedures on diseased arteries and veins in hospitals. Unlike the hospital environment, Vivid Vascular is a calm, soothing environment where the doctor and staff focus their complete attention on each patient’s needs.

About the IAC®

The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission® (IAC) is a nonprofit, nationally recognized accrediting organization. The IAC was founded by medical professionals to advance appropriate utilization, standardization, and quality of diagnostic imaging, interventional and therapeutic procedures. The IAC programs for accreditation are dedicated to quality improvement and patient safety, and all support one common company mission: Improving health care through accreditation®. Since its inception in 1991, the IAC has granted accreditation to more than 14,000 sites.

Via Newswire.

OEIS is a patient-centric society focused on ensuring quality healthcare for patients in all settings, including outpatient hospitals and office-based interventional suites. OEIS recognizes that multiple locations in the same facility can render appropriate care for interventional procedures. Many specialists possess the training to provide various interventional procedures.

Dr. Adam Gropper, Board-Certified Interventional Radiologist and Founder of Vivid Vascular attended this conference with his staff. Vivid Vascular combines the latest technology with a caring, compassionate attitude to ensure patients receive the best possible care.

“We are thrilled to have attended this event and be part of such an amazing society that puts patient care above all else,” said Dr. Gropper. “It was exciting to network with other medical professionals and learn about new techniques and trends within our field.”

At the conference, attendees had access to several educational sessions on procedural safety, patient selection criteria, coding/billing compliance, and emerging technologies in endovascular interventions. There were also many opportunities to network with other professionals in the field while gaining insight into new developments in endovascular medicine.

The team at Vivid Vascular looks forward to continuing their commitment to providing quality healthcare for their patients by attending conferences like OEIS each year. They strive for excellence in patient care and outcomes through education and collaboration with industry leaders nationwide.

For more information, visit https://oeisweb.com/ and https://vividvascular.com/.

About Vivid Vascular

Vivid Vascular is a boutique-style medical facility dedicated to diagnosing and treating medical and cosmetic vascular disorders. We offer a comprehensive approach to treating a broad range of vascular conditions, including the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technology.

Vivid Vascular is the creation of Dr. Adam Gropper, MD, President of North Beach Radiology Associates and former Chief of Radiology at the Jackson Health System Community Hospitals. He has performed thousands of procedures on diseased arteries and veins in hospitals. Unlike the hospital environment, Vivid Vascular is a calm, soothing environment where the doctor and staff focus their complete attention on each patient’s needs.

About OEIS

OEIS is a patient-centric society focused on ensuring quality healthcare for patients in all settings, including the outpatient hospital and office-based interventional suites.

OEIS recognizes that there are multiple locations in the same facility capable of rendering appropriate care for interventional procedures and many specialists trained to provide various interventional procedures.

OEIS strongly believes that all physicians who can verify appropriate training and credentials for procedures should have equal access to all locations and equipment within a facility so that the best care may be rendered to the patient.

Additionally, if an exclusive contract allows some specialties not party to the exclusive arrangement to perform procedures while excluding other practitioners of the same specialty as the exclusive contract holder from performing those same procedures, OEIS believes that these “exclusive contracts” should not be the basis for denying staff privileges for any practitioner regardless of the specialty where the board certification originated.

OEIS believes this credentialing practice compromises the quality of care.

OEIS encourages hospitals and facilities to place quality patient care first and allow all practitioners equal access to all equipment and care locations regardless of specialty and contractual relationships.

Via Newswire.

Uterine Fibroids and African American Women

African American women are not only more prone to develop uterine fibroids, but they also experience more severe symptoms. African American women will often start to develop uterine fibroids at an earlier age and will suffer from the symptoms associated with uterine fibroids for a longer period of time due to delaying medical attention. As a result of the delay in medical care, they present with more serious and pronounced symptoms by the time they see a doctor.

Although the likelihood of developing fibroids is primarily based on an individual’s genetics,  a woman’s exposure to chemicals known as hormone disruptors may contribute to health problems like fibroids and endometriosis. Hormone disruptors can interfere with a woman’s endocrine system. A healthy and balanced endocrine system is critical for a woman’s overall health and wellbeing as it controls and coordinates your energy levels, reproductive system, stress levels, and many other factors.

One interesting observation can be made as it relates to risk factors that seem to increase the risk of uterine fibroids in African American women. A study by the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2012 suggests the high incidence of uterine fibroids in African American women could be related to the use of lye-based hair relaxers. These products may contain a group of chemicals called phthalates which are hormone disruptors

Unfortunately, hormone disruptors can be found in products women and children use every day.  According to the FDA, phthalates have been used in cosmetics products, nail polishes, hair sprays, fragrances, and many other products. For a complete list, check out the FDA’s website.

What are uterine fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are also called uterine myomas or leiomyomas (from the latin leio- “smooth”, myo- “muscle”, oma “tumor”). These are benign tumors (non-cancerous) that grow in the uterine wall. They can grow alone or in clusters. Sizes of fibroids vary from as large as a baseball to so small they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Uterine fibroids can cause severe abdominal pain followed by heavy periods.

What are the risk factors associated with uterine fibroids?

Your risks of developing uterine fibroids are three times higher if your mother has or had uterine fibroids. Additional risk factors include:

• A poor diet
• Obesity
• Starting your period at an early age
• Alcohol consumption
• Vitamin D deficiency 

Treatment of Uterine Fibroids

According to the CDC, hysterectomies are “the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure among reproductive-aged women.” The most recent data from the CDC states that approximately 600,000 women undergo a hysterectomy in the United States each year. However, this data is old and recent statistics are not available. So it is likely that these numbers are even higher than are reported.

Many women will undergo a hysterectomy to treat uterine fibroids.  And although doctors encourage women to use hysterectomy only as a last resort a hysterectomy is still a very popular surgical option for the treatment of uterine fibroids.

In a study published in 2013 by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the medical records of over 3,397 women

were analyzed. The research looked at medical records spanning over a 10-month period from 52 hospitals in Michigan. All of the women whose records were analyzed had undergone a hysterectomy for a benign gynecological disease. These included uterine fibroids, abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, and pelvic pain.

Additionally, “The researchers found that 37.7% of women had no documentation indicating they underwent alternative treatment prior to undergoing a hysterectomy. What is more, the pathological findings following surgery among 18.3% women – almost 1 in 5 – did not support the need for a hysterectomy.”

In a study published in 2013 by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the medical records of over 3,397 women were analyzed. The research looked at medical records spanning over a 10-month period from 52 hospitals in Michigan. All of the women whose records were analyzed had undergone a hysterectomy for a benign gynecological disease. These included uterine fibroids, abnormal uterine bleeding, endometriosis, and pelvic pain.

Additionally, “The researchers found that 37.7% of women had no documentation indicating they underwent alternative treatment prior to undergoing a hysterectomy. What is more, the pathological findings following surgery among 18.3% women – almost 1 in 5 – did not support the need for a hysterectomy.”

The Risks of a Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy puts a woman into surgical menopause, which is very different than natural menopause. Surgically induced menopause will result in an immediate decline in a woman’s progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone production.

For a woman who wishes to have children one day, a hysterectomy also means that she will face permanent infertility. The American Urogynecologic Society conducted a survey of more than 1200 women and found that 13 percent of them believed they could retain their fertility following a hysterectomy.

Moreover, a hysterectomy places a woman at a higher risk of developing blood clots, infection, pain during sexual intercourse, urinary incontinence and injury to nearby organs.

There ARE Alternatives Treatment Options: Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)

Rarely is a hysterectomy the safest and best decision for the treatment uterine fibroids. Women do have other, less invasive, less risky and less aggressive treatments options available, besides the removal of their uterus via hysterectomy.   

Uterine fibroids are actually easy to treat with a minimally invasive procedure known as Uterine Fibroid Embolization. The procedure requires very little downtime and has no serious side effects. This procedure became available in the early 1990’s and has proven itself to be a safe and effective treatment.

How is UFE Performed?

The procedure is formed in a cath lab, also known as an angiography suite, which uses state-of-the-art x-ray imaging.  The procedure is done by an interventional radiologist, a doctor that specializes in using x-ray guidance to perform minimally invasive procedures.  During the procedure, a catheter is inserted through a small puncture in the femoral artery located in your upper thigh. The catheter is then guided to the arteries that supply blood to the fibroids using x-ray guidance.

X-ray contrast is injected. The contrast flows into the uterine artery and its branches which makes them visible on the angiography screen. This enables the interventional radiologist performing the procedure to successfully inject the blood vessel with a solution that blocks and seals the arteries responsible for providing blood to the fibroids. The fibroids, being starved of blood, shrink and the patient’s symptoms improve.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a highly effective yet minimally invasive procedure. In the majority of patients, the procedure completely eliminates their uterine fibroid symptoms without the risks typically associated with hysterectomy.   

The procedure can be in performed in an outpatient setting and the patient can recover in the comfort of their own home rather than an overnight stay in the hospital.

The side effects of Uterine Fibroid Embolization are minor and include:

• Nausea, vomiting
• Pelvic pain or cramping
• Fever
• Malaise

Uterine Fibroid Embolization must be performed by an interventional radiologist. At Vivid Vascular, Dr. Adam Gropper performs this procedure in our state-of-the-art cath lab.

To know if you are a candidate for a UFE or if it is a suitable option for you, contact Vivid Vascular for a consultation.

IR’s typically perform the following MIIPs (Minimally Invasive Interventional Procedures):

Office Based Procedures:

Interventional Radiologists (IR’s) have, until recently, been unknown to the public.  They typically consult for and assist other specialties and as such are generally considered part of the medical and surgical teams in hospitals.  However, some IR’s, like Dr. Gropper now have their own offices and perform procedures in the office setting.

Keep reading to learn who some of these celebrities are.

Khloe Kardashian

In an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the matriarch of the family, Kris Jenner is seen recommending that her daughter, Khloe Kardashian, have sclerotherapy done to treat her varicose veins.

Britney Spears

Pop star Britney Spears sought treatment in 2012 for her venous disorder, after her two pregnancies. Pregnancy is one of the leading causes of varicose veins. In Britney’s case, multiple pregnancies could have played a part and increased her risk of developing varicose veins.

Serena Williams

In 2011, Serena Williams developed a pulmonary embolism due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Since varicose veins can be precursors to blood clots, it is possible that Serena Williams suffered from varicose veins as well.  

Sydney Leroux

Pro soccer star Sydney Leroux Dwyer is an Olympic gold medalist and a forward for FC Kansas City in the National Women’s Soccer League. Dwyer admitted to having varicose veins during her pregnancy. Developing varicose veins during a pregnancy is very common. They happen when the uterus puts additional pressure on the large vein (the inferior vena cava) which carries blood back to the heart from your feet and legs.

Kristin Davis

Although she never admitted to having undergone treatment for varicose veins, actress Kristin Davis, best known as Charlotte from the popular HBO series, Sex and the City, was rumored to have done so in 2008 after filming a movie based on the show. According to reports, she wasn’t very happy with how her legs looked on camera and chose to seek treatment.

Emma Thompson

In the early 2000s, movie star Emma Thompson admitted to having varicose veins and treated them.

Debunking Some Of Varicose Veins Myths

For many of these celebrities, some will attribute the cause of their varicose veins to their use of high heels or in the case of athletes like Serena Williams and Sydney Leroux, to their rigorous fitness routines. But these two factors as mere myths. The truth is that wearing your favorite heels or lifting weights at the gym do not increase your risks of developing varicose veins. 

The real risk factors associated with varicose veins are:

• Age
• Heredity
• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Family history
• Standing for long periods of time

Treatment for Varicose Veins

If you’re suffering from varicose veins, you have access to the same celebrity treatments to get rid of them. At Vivid Vascular we offer multiple minimally invasive procedures. 

• Endovenous Laser Treatment
• Clarivein
• Radiofrequency Ablation
• Venaseal Closure System
• Phlebectomy

Don’t Ignore Your Varicose Veins

If left untreated, varicose veins can lead to more severe problems. It is very important that even if your varicose veins are not painful that you still seek treatment by a physician specializing in vascular conditions such as varicose veins.

While Peripheral Artery Disease primarily occurs in individuals over the age of 60, it can affect younger people who have high blood pressure, smoke tobacco or have obesity.

Peripheral Arterial Disease occurs when cholesterol and fats build up in the walls of your arteries, which causes narrowing of the arteries and reduces blood supply to the limbs and organs. This build-up,  known as plaque, is much more likely to form in people with certain risk factors and does not have a single cause. Diet, lifestyle, and genetics all play a role in whether an individual will develop PAD.

Unfortunately, PAD is often clinically silent – meaning that the patient does not notice any symptoms until the disease is in more advanced stages.  Becoming aware of the signs and symptoms and intervening early can avoid debilitating symptoms and save patients from needing more advanced treatments.

According to the CDC, “Men and women are equally affected by PAD; however, black race/ethnicity is associated with an increased risk of PAD. People of Hispanic origin may have similar to slightly higher rates of PAD compared to non-Hispanic whites. Approximately 8.5 million people in the United States have PAD, including 12-20% of individuals older than age 60. General population awareness of PAD is estimated at 25%, based on prior studies”

Some of the Risk Factors That Increase the Likelihood of PAD Include:

• Cigarette smoking
• Diabetes and high blood sugar
• High cholesterol/high triglycerides
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• A family history of stroke or cardiovascular disease

Common Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease

• Cramping in the hips, thighs or legs during or after activity such as walking or climbing up a steep hill
• Numbness in legs and the general feeling of weakness
• Rapid and unexplained hair loss on legs and feet
• Wounds on areas of the legs that don’t heal fast enough
• The sudden onset of erectile dysfunction
• Rapid changes in the color of the skin, often fluctuating between paleness and blueness
• Nails that don’t grow as fast as they used to

Once peripheral artery disease progresses to more advanced stages, it can manifest as pain even during inactivity, so-called “rest pain”. At times, it can grow to become very intense which disturbs sleep patterns. Some patients reportedly find brief respite by hanging their legs over the edge of their beds for relief.

The Dangers of PAD Going Untreated

As is true for many diseases, ignoring signs and symptoms until they become an emergency can restrict treatment options and lead to permanent debility. There are many treatment options available for PAD. These include atherectomy, angioplasty, and stent placement,  which can restore a patient’s health through a minimally invasive procedure. At Vivid Vascular, Dr. Adam Gropper and his team perform these treatments in their in-house cath lab for our patient’s convenience.

Peripheral Artery Disease becomes harder to treat in advanced stages because the blockages get consolidated resulting in larger areas to treat.

More invasive surgical procedures such as bypass graft surgery can sometimes become necessary when the disease is too advanced for minimally invasive treatment. End-stage disease often, unfortunately, requires amputation.

Getting a PAD Evaluation

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned here, and your physician dismisses them as simply signs of aging, we urge you to find an expert in vascular diseases such as an interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon like Vivid Vascular.

Leg pain, when walking or at rest, is never a sign of getting old!

An experienced vascular expert will check your pulses and likely perform some testing for proper diagnosis and treatment.

The initial evaluation of PAD will be done by measuring the ankle-brachial index (ABI), which can be readily performed in office. The index shows the severity of PAD, with less than 0.9 being recognized as an early stage sign of PAD, less than 0.8 often correlates with symptoms of leg pain and less than 0.5 is late stage PAD.

A more thorough exam called an arterial doppler or duplex exam is usually the next step in diagnostic testing for PAD and will usually be performed if a physician suspects you may have PAD.  Further testing with CAT scan, MRI or even an angiogram may be needed to fully assess for PAD.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Adam Gropper call (786) 500-5347. Vivid Vascular has offices located in Aventura and Kendall.

Restless legs, or the feeling of the need to move the legs, is a common symptom of varicose vein disease. Endovenous laser treatment or EVLA is a simple, minimally invasive laser treatment procedure that requires no complicated surgery or hospitalization and has become the preferred means of eliminating varicose veins and alleviating their symptoms.

What you can expect during the appointment

When people suffering from varicose vein disease come to Vivid Vascular, the first step is a consultation with Dr. Gropper and his staff.  A complete history and physical exam are performed, and if there are signs or symptoms of varicose veins an ultrasound will be recommended to assess the location and severity of the problem.

An ultrasound of the superficial veins of the legs is a thorough, non-invasive test that maps out all the veins in the legs and takes about 45 minutes.  It is important that the patient not have any caffeine-containing foods or beverages on the day of the ultrasound as caffeine can cause incorrect results.  The ultrasound helps Dr. Gropper determine which veins need to be treated and how best to treat the problem. Once the ultrasound is completed, Dr. Gropper will explain the results and recommend a treatment plan that best fits the patient’s goals. The endovenous laser treatment is one of the options available.

Does my insurance cover Endovenous Laser Treatment?

Varicose Veins. Endovenous laser treatment of female legs

Often, if there are symptoms such as pain, burning, restlessness, heaviness or swelling, health insurance will cover treatment for varicose veins and the endovenous laser treatment.  The staff at Vivid Vascular will review the patient’s insurance benefits and explain the costs, if any, to the patient, and will request an approval from the insurance company.  Depending on your insurance carrier, you may be required to undergo a period of therapy with compression stockings prior to insurance giving permission for the endovenous laser treatment. Compression stockings can be very helpful in reducing symptoms when worn, but unfortunately are only a “band-aid” rather than a treatment.

Before the procedure

There is very little patients need to do to prepare for the endovenous laser treatment procedure.  No caffeine that day is pretty much it! Patients can eat and drink the morning of the procedure since there is no need for sedation. If a patient feels any anxiety about the procedure, valium can be prescribed beforehand and brought to the appointment.

During the procedure

It takes about 25 minutes to perform an endovenous laser ablation procedure.  The day of your procedure, be sure to wear loose and comfortable clothing. If a patient takes valium for the procedure they should have someone drive them to/from the office.

When the patient arrives at the office, a topical numbing medication is applied to the skin and left on for about 30 minutes.  Then the leg is cleaned and the procedure is performed. The procedure involves a few injections of local anesthetic and is otherwise painless.

During the procedure, a very thin laser fiber is placed inside the vein.  The laser heats the vein wall and causes the vein to permanently collapse.

After the procedure

At the end of the treatment, some bandaging and a compression stocking will be applied to the treated leg.  This stays in place for 48 hours. At that time, the bandaging can be removed however the compression stocking stays on for one full week after the procedure.  Patients are instructed to avoid running for at least a week. Other, non-impact, exercises can be restarted at a light level after 4-5 days and gradually increased back to pre-procedure levels.   Swimming, sitting in a bathtub or any other submersion of the treated leg should be avoided for 3 days.

A common misconception is that patients must rest after these procedures.  To the contrary! Patients should do lots of walking and movement for the first 48 hours after the procedure.  When idle, the leg should be elevated when possible. Advil is recommended to avoid post-procedure pain and minimize inflammation after the procedure.

A follow-up visit 2-7 days after the procedure is required to confirm the success of the procedure and schedule any further treatments such as sclerotherapy.

Here are 17 facts you should know about peripheral arterial disease:

1. A study found that PAD affects 12% to 14% of the general population. This means that almost 40 million people in the United States are at risk.
2. Peripheral arterial disease is more widespread than HIV infection, it affects more than 200 million people worldwide, a figure which is six times that of HIV.
3. The American Heart Association Statistics Committee found that more than 10 million Americans currently live with peripheral arterial disease, many of whom don’t even know they have it.
4. The World Health Organization estimates that 20% of patients over the age of 75 are affected by PAD. People who have reached this age threshold should visit their doctor and screen themselves for peripheral arterial disease.
5. A direct correlation between PAD and diabetes has been found by the American Diabetes Association. An estimated 1 out of every 3 people with diabetes over the age of 50 have peripheral arterial disease.
6. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that smoking increases the risk of getting PAD by four times.
7. Every year, more than 150,000 lower limb amputations are carried out in the United States. These are the unfortunate consequence of PAD.
8. Only 50% of these amputees survive the next three or four years after a leg amputation because of the presence of vascular disease in organs such as the brain and heart.
9. This isn’t all – within two years of their first amputation, one-third of all patients will lose their other leg.
10. A study published in the AHA Journal found that 20% to 50% of all people with PAD do not show the regular symptoms of the disease, making it harder to identify it.
11. Risk factors which increase the chances of getting PAD are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. The diet of a person plays an important role in the development of PAD.
12. Regular symptoms and signs of PAD are leg pain with exercise, burning sensation in toes and foot, ulcers in the foot, and the worst case scenario, gangrene.
13. People of African descent are twice as likely to suffer from PAD as people from other races.
14. If the person’s family history has someone suffering from any form of vascular disease, the chances of them developing PAD is higher.
15. Making a few lifestyle modifications can often prevent the development of PAD. Small changes such as quitting smoking, incorporating a healthy diet and having regular appointments with your doctor can minimize the effects of PAD, especially when done early. 
16. The leg pain caused by PAD has a unique name, doctors call it “claudication”.
17. A sedentary lifestyle can also be a risk factor for developing PAD. Likewise, exercise can help minimize the symptoms of PAD.  So get up from your chair, wiggle your toes and move around!

Click here to learn more about PAD symptoms and risk factors and what your treatment options are.

When the heat gets intense in South Florida, people flock to the nearest beaches in hopes of achieving a golden glow. Armed with their favorite brand of sunscreen to blot out UVA and UVB rays, they are in a state of contentment. But most people don’t realize that these waves of radiation can sometimes accentuate vulnerable veins and make them appear more visible, regardless of which sunscreen they use.

The Sun doesn’t cause varicose veins

The sun’s influence is limited to causing spider veins only. The sun does this by breaking down collagen and blood vessels which are located right beneath the surface of the skin, causing the veins to pop up. People attempt to hide the spider veins by getting more tanned, a process which works in the short run, but they fail to realize they are only repeating the endless loop.

As opposed to spider veins, the sun does not cause varicose veins. These are influenced by your genetics. They become enlarged, assume a rope-like texture and expose themselves near the surface of the sun. The cause of varicose veins has been medically determined to be vein walls and weakened valves which can be pronounced by increased pressure between the lower and upper extremities.

So why do varicose veins become more noticeable during summer?

Again, the sun does not directly cause the problem. It is all in the heat. In hot weather, the body can use veins like a radiator – causing leg veins to dilate and enlarge to allow the body to get rid of heat. The blood effectively transports heat from warmer portions of the body to the skin surface, where the heat is dissipated through the skin.  The result can temporarily make veins appear larger.

Are varicose veins dangerous?

Varicose veins do not go away on their own, in fact over time they tend to get worse.  Life changes like pregnancy or decreased exercise are often catalysts for veins to worsen.  Varicose veins, except in later stages are not generally dangerous. Varicose veins can sometimes bleed when traumatized, or can sometimes clot, resulting in superficial thrombophlebitis which can be painful. Varicose veins, if left untreated, can lead to chronic swelling in the leg, skin problems such as hyperpigmentation and lipodermatosclerosis, and potential worsening to non-healing venous leg ulcers.

What can be done about varicose veins?

The good news is that varicose veins can be easily treated with a variety of in-office procedures, depending on the specific patient.  A consultation with a vascular specialist, such as an interventional radiologist or vascular surgeon gets a patient started on the road to smooth legs again.

If you’ve had a procedure you should avoid the sun

Many patients who have undergone treatment, usually laser or radiofrequency ablation and foam sclerotherapy should avoid going out in the sun as much as is possible because it can worsen their