Varicose Veins Treatment in Singapore: All Your Questions Answered!

Stop hiding your gorgeous gams! Curious about varicose veins treatment in Singapore and whether it’s right for you? Read on for expert advice, mama.

There’s no escaping our hot, sticky climate in Singapore, so let’s face it: every now and then you’re going to need to bare your legs, mama. If you’ve got spider or varicose veins (a super fun by-product of pregnancy, amirite?), help is here! We recently spoke with Dr. Imran Nawaz, Director of The Vein Centre, to get the skinny on vein problems (including FAQs, myths, and little known facts). Turns out varicose veins treatment has come a long way — non-invasive day treatments are the way to go now, mama! Read on for more insights…

What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins are caused by the weakening of the vein valves along the veins. Why they weaken, nobody knows, although pregnancy is considered a primary risk factor. This could be due to the fact that the extra volume of blood you produce during pregnancy is essential to support two growing bodies. This puts extra pressure on your blood vessels, especially the veins in your legs, which have to work against gravity to push all that extra blood back up to your heart. Add to that the pressure the bulging uterus puts on the pelvic blood vessels, and the vessel-relaxing effects of the extra hormone progesterone your body is producing, and you have the perfect recipe for varicose veins.

Is there a way to prevent varicose veins?
We cannot prevent varicose veins, but we can prevent them from getting worse by wearing compression stockings.

What’s the difference between spider, varicose and reticular veins?
Varicose veins are the bulging, dilated, worm-like swelling under your skin. This is not a cosmetic problem.

Spider veins and reticular veins are not bulging or swollen under your skin, but are clearly visible in reddish, mesh-like clusters (dilated superficial veins).

I am six-months pregnant and have developed varicose veins. Will they vanish after I give birth or can they be treated?
Developing dilated leg veins during pregnancy is common. In some cases these dilated veins will shrink back to normal several weeks after delivery. However, in other cases they may only shrink partially, or not at all. It is difficult to determine during pregnancy whether any or all of your varicose veins will vanish after you give birth.

What can be done to treat them effectively?
During pregnancy we do not treat varicose or spider veins. We give patients symptomatic treatment (like wearing compression stockings!). We advise our pregnant patients to come back after the delivery for treatment, as it’s important to get varicose veins treated before their next pregnancy. There are many non-invasive, convenient day procedures available now to treat varicose veins. In face patients can resume their normal activities immediately after the procedure.

Once I’ve had the treatment, will I be cured for good or will the veins return again?
Most varicose veins that have been treated will not recur, but sometimes they do. The risk of this recurrence varies with the type and size of vein, as well as the type of treatment and the experience of the treating doctor. More so, you could also develop “new” varicose veins in other parts of the same leg.

How long between treatment and the unsightly veins vanishing?
This again depends on the type of veins (varicose veins vs. spider veins), and the type of treatment used. Surgical excision (an older method) would usually be instant, but with the newer, less invasive techniques (EVLT, or sclerotherapy) it takes between a few weeks to a few months for the treated veins to subside.

What are some common myths about varicose veins?

a) That there is no effective treatment avialble for varicose veins and spider veins. While it is true that some people are more predisposed than others, you should be happy to know that varicose and spider veins can be treated effectively and very conveniently with the advancement of technology.

b) That they are only a cosmetic problem. Your visible, dilated veins are not just a cosmetic issue that you can dismiss. Underlying your vein problem is very likely a malfunction of your veins, which are blood vessels that transport blood back to your heart. In the case of spider veins, they may or may not just be cosmetic in nature, although you may also experience aches in your legs.

c) You can leave them alone because they are not serious problem. This is the worst thing you can do when you start noticing varicose or spiderveins on your legs. If your veins are not functioning as they are supposed to, not doing anything about them will only cause the problem to worsen and give rise to complications in the future.

Thanks, Dr. Nawaz! If you’d like to know more, mama, visit The Vein Centre to find out about their minimally invasive treatments so you can start showing off your stems!

The Vein Centre
The Vein Centre has moved from Camden Medical Centre to their new office at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre! 

38 Irrawaddy Road, #10-42, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329663, Tel: (65) 6733 0377

www.tvc.sg