Varicose Veins Treatments

Varicose veins come in all shapes and sizes. You may be experiencing pain and discomfort, or you may have spider veins that you would like to treat for cosmetic reasons. Your personal journey is unique to you and therefore you want a treatment plan tailored to you. The decision to go ahead with any treatment should be yours after considering all your options and reflecting on the recommended treatment by an experienced vascular surgeon.

Why Fraser Clinic

At Fraser Clinic we specialise in the non-surgical treatment of all grades of varicose veins from small spider veins on the legs with micro sclerotherapy to large varicose veins treated with Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) and Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy (UGS).

We are the most comprehensive vein clinic in the Bay of Plenty region. Our experienced team of Vascular Surgeon Mark Morgan, assisted by our Practice Nurse Tania Harrison-Porter, have treated over 2500 patients with UGS and RFA over the past 18 years in the Bay of Plenty. He is also joined in theatre by our experienced Vascular Sonographer, Jessica Wagner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Varicose veins are enlarged veins close to the skin’s surface and are commonly found on the legs. Some 25% of adult men and women can be affected by varicose veins.

Varicose veins occur when one-way valves cease to function and allow backward flow of blood. This results in increased pressure in the veins and eventually the appearance of varicose veins. You may have symptoms before the varicose veins become evident such as aching, a heavy feel in the legs, leg fatigue, a burning sensation, itching or cramps.

Long-term, this increased pressure in the veins can result in many skin changes including eczema and ulceration.

Veins in the legs return blood to the heart by using normal contraction of the calf muscles to squeeze blood from deeply placed vein reservoirs. Normally, the blood ascends against gravity up the deep vessels, with one-way valves stopping the back flow of blood that would otherwise occur. The valves open as blood flows towards the heart and close to stop the backwards flow.

Genetic factors – if other family members have had varicose veins
Obesity
Prolonged standing

Reticular and spider veins are very common and represent a milder form of varicose veins. They are often treated for cosmetic reasons.

Surgery for varicose veins has been the standard treatment approach for many years and still has a recognised part to play. In most cases, surgery involves a cut in the groin and multiple smaller cuts further down the leg. Recurrence rates, costs, and the need for general anaesthetic and hospital stay have resulted in a trend towards less invasive treatments that have a faster recovery time and statistically less recurrence.

These non-surgical treatments have become the “gold standard”.
They require:

No surgery, therefore, no general anaesthetic.
No admission to hospital.
Minimal downtime with prompt return to work possible.
Safe and effective.
Covered by most medical insurers.

Post Treatment

After the procedure, you will be fitted with surgical compression stockings to your treated legs. The stockings are for comfort, they are not required for the treatment to work. Trials have shown most people are more comfortable after treatment with stockings. If however, you are more uncomfortable or the stockings cause pain, then they can be removed and left off.

Most people can usually return to work the following day. If you are in a highly physical job, you may need 1-2 weeks off work. Walking every day is encouraged, but there will be a downtime required of around two weeks for any other forms of exercise. Flight travel (domestic and international) will also be restricted for 3-5 weeks, depending on the length of flight. This can be discussed further at a consultation appointment, so please remember to advise us of any travel plans.

The most comprehensive vein clinic in the Bay of Plenty

Varicose Veins Treatments

Why Fraser Clinic

Frequently Asked Questions

Post Treatment

Treatment Options

Your Specialist Team

Mark Morgan

Jessica Wagner

Enjoy a better level of care from the Bay's most experienced team

Please enquire to book a confidential consultation or call our friendly team today