Why It’s Best To Have Varicose Veins Treated By A Vascular Surgeon

If you’ve been living with spider or varicose veins, a vascular surgeon is the best-qualified specialist who can help. Many physicians, such as radiologists, will refer to themselves as “vein specialists” so be sure to have them specify their background and training.

Michael F. Bardwil, M.D., FACS, founder of Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialists states, “We see everybody with veins that are considered cosmetic, such as spider veins, to people who have severe vein problems. These include patients with bulging varicose veins, people who have had a history of blood clots, people who have chronic leg ulcers from their veins, and people who have leg swelling.”

Dr. Bardwil is board certified in vascular surgery. Doctors and nurses know that when they need their veins eliminated, it’s best to see a vascular surgeon, so many of his patients are actually doctors and nurses.

Treatment of any medical condition requires knowledge, skill, and judgment from your doctor. Treatment of vein disease is no exception. The decision making process will involve determining whether or not you should have a procedure, and if so, what procedure is best for you.

Contrary to popular opinion, treatment of veins can sometimes be more involved than what many realize, and going to just any laser or sclerotherapy center may not be the best option or even a good one. Proximity and convenience should be a factor only when credentials are equal. Dr. Bardwil is a highly skilled, board certified vascular surgeon, specializing in treatment of leg veins.

“Venous and arterial disease fall under the realm of vascular surgery. In terms of actual board certified vascular surgeons with a specific interest in treating veins, there very few in Houston,” says Dr. Bardwil. “It is also important to remember that while surgeons make the best vein doctors, not all surgeons are the best. An important factor should be the duration of time your doctor has been in practice, in the Houston area.”

Treatments for varicose veins have come a long way in the past 15 years. Prior to 2000, treatment of veins was primarily conservative and most patients didn’t undergo procedures, as the only option was a vein stripping. With the advances in technology, there are a number of options that are less invasive, and yield a better cosmetic result.

Dr. Bardwil further states, “A visit to Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialists starts with a visual exam and ultrasound. The ultrasound that we do here in the office is done with a patient in a standing position so we can better assess the function of the vein. I will then determine the best treatment. Spider veins are usually treated with sclerotherapy. We use solutions that we inject into the veins and what they do is they cause the veins to constrict and over a period of time, and close.”

Varicose vein treatment continues to evolve. Depending on the extent of veins and the problem, sometimes only one procedure is required and sometimes treatment involves stages. Today, procedures are performed in an office setting, as opposed to the operating room, where vein stripping were performed.

One of the nicer things is that the tools have gotten a little more sophisticated. We have less bruising and discomfort then with what we were using early on. So, people really can resume normal activity pretty much immediately,” says Dr. Bardwil.

Dr. Bardwil has almost 29 years of experience in diagnosing and treating vein problems and he remains on the cutting edge of the very latest technologies. His approach to patients with vein problems involves in-office testing and procedures with minimal post-op discomfort and no delay in return to work.

The results Dr. Bardwil sees in his patients are always rewarding.

Dr. Bardwil says, “Men that have had big, large veins for a long time, have often gotten used to them and are surprised how much better their legs feel after treatment. A lot of our women patients say, ‘Wow, now I can wear shorts again.’ We hear that frequently but every time we hear it, we still enjoy it. That still is special to us because that means something to us.”

Varicose vein treatment is covered by most insurance plans and your out of pocket expense will be determined by your particular policy. With today’s new solutions for varicose vein treatment, there’s no longer any reason to just live with them if you don’t want to. If you do decide to get them treated, it’s very important that the vein specialist you see be a board certified vascular surgeon who specializes in treatment of vein disease.