The treatment of venous insufficiency has dramatically improved over the past decade. Stripping has been replaced by vein ablation procedures that utilize heat to close down refluxing veins. Today’s minimally invasive varicose vein procedures are now performed in the office, do not require hospital stays, and use local anesthesia rather than general anesthesia. Instead of large incisions, physicians now make a tiny skin nick about the size of a pencil tip to perform these ablation procedures.

There are two types of energy that can be used to close down abnormal veins: laser ablation and radiofrequency ablation. Both of these procedures are performed in less than an hour with success rates greater than 90% and very low recurrence rates. Patients experience immediate return to normal activity with little or no pain. Minor soreness or bruising can be treated with over-the-counter analgesics such as ibuprofen (motrin, advil) or tylenol.