Varicose Symptoms
* Pain in the legs: fullness, heaviness, aching
* Visible, enlarged veins
* Mild swelling of ankles
* Skin at the ankle discolored brown
* Skin ulcers near the ankle

Non surgical Treatments
Treatment is usually conservative. The patients must avoid excess standing, elevate the legs when resting or sleeping, and to wear elastic support hose.In some cases, cosmetic or severe varicose, surgery should be considered.

Surgical Treatments
Varicose veins can be treated by removal (vein stripping) or occlusion of the vein. Small vericose veins can be treated with an injection with a salt solution (sclerotherapy).

* Surgical vein stripping is done in the hospital, under general anesthesia. Incisions are made at the bottom and the top of the varicose vein. A thin, wire-like instrument is inserted into the vein. That "strips," or clears, the vein from the inside. Small incisions can also be made over individual veins to remove them.

* Sclerotherapy is done while the patient is standing. A Sclerosing agent, salt solution, is injected into each varicose vein to cause scarring that closes off the vein. An elastic bandage is wrapped snugly around the legs after the procedure.

* Endovenous ablation therapy is an outpatient procedure. The therapy uses heat to destroy vein tissue. A thin catheter (a tube) is inserted into the vein through a tiny skin incision under local anesthesia. Then, using either a laser or radiowave (radiofreqency) energy, the vein is heated and cauterized. This closes off the vein.
The endovenous ablation procedure has shown to work the same as or better than surgery. Patients have significantly less pain and a quicker recovery.

Varicose Surgery Indications
* Varicose veins that cause circulatory problems (venous insufficiency)
* Skin irritation and sores (ulcers)
* Blood clots in the veins (phlebitis), which can travel to the heart, lungs, or brain (embolism)
* Cosmetic purposes

After Treatment
Most patients who undergo varicose vein surgery have good results.
Some patients could have inflammation and skin discoloration that lasts for several months.

What is Laser?
Laser stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation(LASER).
A laser is a light beam that can be precisely focused. It is used to treat tissues by heating the targeted cells until they "burst". It may also be used for cosmetic purposes, including removal of wrinkles, tattoos, or birthmarks.

There are several types of lasers, including the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, the YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser, and the pulsed dye laser. Each laser has specific uses. The color of the light beam used is directly related to the type of procedure being performed and the color of the tissue being treated.

Laser may be used to:
Remove tumors
Seal blood vessels
Seal lymph vessels to reduce swelling and decrease the spread of tumor cells
Seal nerve endings to reduce postoperative pain
Remove warts, moles, and tattoos
Reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles
Remove hair

Possible side effects of laser therapy:
Bleeding
Infection
Pain
Scaring
Skin color changes