What type of varicose veins exist and how are they treated?

Varicose veins can be classified according to their size and their treatment must be specific to each individual case.

The smallest so-called telangiectasias or varicose veins are spider veins that affect 30% of the population and usually have no symptoms. This type of varicose veins are best treated with the external vascular laser, which emits a high energy beam captured by the haemoglobin of varix, closing the diseased vessel

Medium-sized varicose veins are called reticular. These are varicose veins of approximately 2-4mms, located below the skin meaning they are often not visible to the naked eye and should be searched with a special light. The best treatment for this type of varicose veins is sclerosis with foam, an injection into varix with a substance that closes it and dries it to disappear later on.

Varicose veins which are larger than 8 mm are generally symptomatic varicose veins (heaviness, pain, swelling, changes in skin colour, etc.), meaning they are visible to the naked eye as thick cords under the skin. These varicose veins are usually related to valvular problems of the veins and are best treated with surgery, since it allows removing the varicose veins already formed and closing the defective valves, thereby solving the problem from the root and preventing the reappearance of new varicose veins over time. The best type of surgery for these cases is radiofrequency surgery or endoluminal laser, which goes inside the diseased varicose vein, closing it from inside with minimal incisions and discomfort for the patient.