Step 1: Request free insurance verification before scheduling an appointment
At the vein clinic in Houston, TX, your vein treatment process starts even before scheduling an appointment. The state-of-the-art spider vein and varicose vein clinic in Houston, TX, allows patients to request free insurance verification from the website portal. An insurance concierge will contact you and ask for your details. They will contact your insurance provider on your behalf and work out the terms and conditions of your policy. As such, we provide a complete overview of your treatment cost, with or without insurance coverage, before your actual treatment.
Step 2: An initial consultation and physical examination of your leg veins
The spider vein and varicose vein clinic is located at 2900 Weslayan St Suite 650, Houston, TX. It’s an incredibly accessible part of Uptown Houston, less than 5 minutes from River Oaks. When you arrive at the vein clinic for your appointment, you’ll have to fill out a form with your medical history and a description of your symptoms. This will help the vein doctor make an accurate assessment.
The vein clinic in Houston is led by two talented vein doctors — Dr. Calvin Jung and Dr. Polina Kyriakides. Both of them perform extremely thorough consultations, listening to all of your concerns and symptoms carefully. They will also review your medical history and perform a physical examination to study the size, location, and appearance of your spider veins and varicose veins.
You should also inform them if you have the signs and symptoms of vein disease, such as leg heaviness, restless legs syndrome, leg cramps, and leg pain.
Step 3: Vascular imaging tests to diagnose the root cause of your vein problems
Chronic venous insufficiency is a medical condition wherein your vein valves collapse, and blood accumulates in leg veins. In healthy veins, the valves act as one-way doors, ensuring smooth blood circulation towards the heart, often against the force of gravity. When your vein valves collapse, blood flows backward due to gravity and accumulates in the leg veins. The continued accumulation of blood in leg veins leads to vascular dilation, which, in turn, leads to spider veins and varicose veins.
The vein doctor will schedule an ultrasound scan, known as duplex ultrasound, to determine if you have chronic venous insufficiency. Identifying the root cause is essential for comprehensive vein care — treating spider veins and varicose veins without addressing the root cause would lead to an inevitable relapse. During the test, the vein doctor will use ultrasound energy to visualize the blood flow in your leg veins. The vein doctor will interpret the results to determine if you have chronic venous insufficiency.
Step 4: Curating a personalized treatment plan
The vein doctor will curate a personalized vein treatment plan according to your unique needs. Each individual is unique and has unique requirements, so your vein treatment should also be unique. The vein doctor will select the ideal minimally invasive vein treatments for you based on the following factors: diagnostic results, symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, cosmetic goals, risk of allergies, size and location of spider veins and varicose veins, budget, and insurance coverage options.
The vein doctor will assess all the options and recommend the ideal vein treatment for you. They will also provide an overview of all your vein treatment options, including their pros, cons, and costs, to help you make an informed decision. Once you’ve approved the treatment plan, you’ll receive a complete overview of your treatment cost, with or without insurance coverage. As such, you’ll know exactly what you’ll owe at the end of the treatment.
Step 5: The primary vein treatment for chronic venous insufficiency
The primary vein treatment is meant for patients with chronic venous insufficiency. At this stage, the vein doctor will focus on removing or destroying the diseased saphenous vein responsible for your vein problems. Once the diseased vein is neutralized, the accumulated blood automatically reroutes into healthier leg veins, restoring optimal blood circulation to the heart.
The following are the minimally invasive treatments for vein disease:
- Radiofrequency Ablation: The vein doctor inserts a catheter into the diseased vein and activates radiofrequency energy, thereby collapsing the diseased vein.
- Endovenous Laser Ablation: The vein doctor inserts a catheter into the affected vein and activates laser energy, thereby collapsing the diseased vein.
- VenaSeal: The vein doctor injects a medical glue into the problematic vein to seal its walls shut, turning it into a hardened tissue eventually metabolized by the body.
Step 6: The cosmetic vein treatments for spider veins and varicose veins
The cosmetic vein treatment is meant for patients with spider veins and varicose veins without underlying chronic venous insufficiency. Cosmetic vein treatments improve the external appearance of your legs by removing the unsightly veins, thereby restoring your confidence. In some cases, they might involve multiple sessions.
The following are the minimally invasive procedures for spider veins and varicose veins:
- Sclerotherapy: The vein doctor injects a sclerosant solution into the spider veins, turning them into hardened scar tissues eventually absorbed by the body.
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy: The vein doctor makes small incisions on the skin’s surface for the physical extraction of varicose veins.
Step 7: A discussion of your aftercare guidelines and recovery process
The vein treatment usually concludes in 30 to 60 minutes, following which you can resume your daily activities. The vein doctor will provide a list of aftercare guidelines, such as wearing compression stockings and avoiding heavy lifting for a few days or weeks. You must follow these guidelines to ensure a smooth and safe recovery.