NHS Varicose Veins Explanation Video

Varicose Veins can be a difficult issue to understand. The NHS produced a video Varicose Veins in 2010.

This video is an excellent illustration and description of the problem and is still widely watched and used, most recently being shared on the Daily Mail website.

Varicose Veins Video

Varicose Veins Explanation

The commentary on the video introduces the condition:

“Varicose veins are swollen veins that appear lumpy and blue through the skin.

“Any vein in your body can become varicose, but the veins in your legs, particularly the calf, are most commonly affected.

“Varicose veins are a common condition, affecting both men and women.”

What Causes Varicose Veins?

“Blood travels around your body through blood vessels. Arteries carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body and veins return blood to the heart.

“When your leg muscles move, they squeeze the leg veins and help push the blood upwards to your heart.

“Inside the large veins of your body are one-way valves, which stop blood flowing backwards in the wrong direction. In varicose veins, the walls of the vein stretch and become less flexible, which weakens the valve and stops them working properly. Blood then leaks backwards and builds up in the vein, causing it to swell.”

NHS Varicose Vein Removal

NHS varicose vein removal is now limited. As their website states:

Varicose veins don’t always need treatment. If your varicose veins are not causing you discomfort, you may not need to have treatment.

The NHS still uses traditional vein stripping for many patients – a treatment which has a failure rate of around 50%.

Where varicose vein removal is classed as cosmetic, then the NHS rarely cover it and private treatment would be required.

Private Varicose Vein Treatment

Modern varicose vein surgery is provided in private clinics on a day case basis and uses advanced laser treatment which has a 95%+ success rate. There is no general anaesthetic, no hospital stay and patients can walk out of the clinic with the varicose veins gone.

Varicose Vein Treatment

Cosmedics Skin Clinics offer private EVLA (endovenous laser ablation) laser varicose vein removal at their London vein treatment centre with a renowned vascular surgeon with prices starting at £1,650 per leg (1 vein).

They also offer foam sclerotherapy and micro surgery in order to provide a tailor-made service with the most appropriate treatment for each individual.

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7386 0464.