Varicose Vein Treatment & Removal

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins are swollen veins in the legs that are often visible on the surface of the skin or just beneath. They are often blue or green in colour and noticeably raised above the skin, often in a twisted & bulging pattern.

They are often painless, but have been known to cause mild symptoms like aching and swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet. And though less common, more severe symptoms such as restless leg syndrome, muscle cramps, deep vein thrombosis, varicose eczema, and varicose ulcers have been attributed to varicose veins.

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What causes varicose veins?

Healthy veins carry blood from all over your body back to your heart. They also have valves to prevent blood flowing away from the heart.

If a vein wall or valve becomes weakened or damaged, blood starts to flow in the wrong direction, back down toward the feet. As it flows downward, it pools in the veins causing the vein to become tortuous, or varicose.

Though factors such as age, pregnancy, obesity, and inactivity can cause varicose veins, they are largely hereditary, especially in your immediate family.

Varicose Vein Treatment Options

At Transform Clinic, we offer a variety of non-surgical treatment options to remove varicose veins.

Varicose Vein Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a 30 minute, virtually painless procedure with huge advantages over surgery, including no general anaesthetic, no stitches, no hospital admission needed, and no time off work. It is a walk-in, walk-out procedure which is about half the cost of surgery.

How it Works

Create a vein map using ultrasound to guide the procedure.
A catheter is inserted into the varicose vein and filled with micro-foam..
The micro-foam then shuts down the vein, preventing blood flow.
Blood flow redirects to normal, healthy veins to improve circulation.

Endovenous Laser Ablation

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLT) is a 1-hour, minimally invasive procedure that is highly effective at removing varicose veins. EVLT uses heat to close the affected vein, redirect blood flow elsewhere, and ultimately eliminate the damaged vein.

How it Works

Create a vein map using ultrasound to guide the procedure.
A local anaesthetic is injected to numb the leg while also emptying blood from the vein and protecting the surrounding tissue. A catheter is also inserted into the vein.
Radiofrequency is emitted through the catheter to heat the vein wall, causing it to shrink or close. At Transform Clinic, we use the Vnus Closure® method to heat the vein wall at around 85 degrees.
As the vein shrinks & closes, blood automatically begins to flow elsewhere to healthy veins.

VenaSeal Ablation (Vein Glue)

VenaSeal Ablation is a popular, non-surgical treatment option for varicose veins. This quick procedure reduces blood clots and the risk of damage to nearby tissue & veins, causes only minor discomfort, and involves fewer needles as the procedure does not require anaesthetic.

And the best part is, you won’t have to wear a stocking afterwards.

How it Works

Create a vein map using ultrasound to guide the procedure.
A catheter is inserted into the varicose vein and filled with Venaseal glue (vein glue).
The glue is deposited down the length of the vein, permanently closing the vein.

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How long will it take?

These are walk-in-walk-out procedures, which can easily be done in about an hour.

Does it hurt?

We have an anaesthetic cream available to ease the very small amount of discomfort some clients feel.

Will my Health Insurance cover the costs?

Insurance coverage for varicose vein treatment varies between carriers and individual policies.

If you have surgical coverage, insurance should cover these as they are considered a surgical procedure. However, insurance companies are often only willing to cover treatment if it is medically necessary to do so. Thus, varicose vein removal for cosmetic reasons may not be covered by insurance. Note: This distinction must be documented in our report of assessment.

We have affiliations with almost all the major Health Insurers and can often charge them directly for your convenience.

Individual results may vary.

Talk to us today!

Don’t live with the physical and emotional agony of unsightly varicose veins any longer! We have regular clinics throughout New Zealand: Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. Call now to arrange a free no-obligation assessment or schedule online.

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