VeinDirectory - "The Know"

You know Dame Helen Mirren from the movies; she’s the 60+ year old woman who won Golden Globe awards for her roles in Elizabeth I and The Queen. But there’s a lot more to this actress’s life than meets the eye and she shares it all in her illustrated memoir, In The Frame. What Mirren doesn’t share with her readers are the veins that cover her hands; she had them airbrushed out for the book’s cover photo (along with the wrinkles on her face).

Mirren could, of course, have the unsightly appearance of the veins on her hands taken care of by surgery. However she’s opposed to having surgical procedures done and so skipped the surgery and decided just to gloss over the pictures. That takes care of the problem on the page but what is she going to do about the appearance of her hands when she’s signing all of those books at her author readings?

Photo from China Daily.

A new Vein Center opened up this month at NYU top treat vein problems of both a medical and cosmetic nature. The center is the first of its kind in Manhattan, giving New Yorkers a new place to go to get information about the health of their veins as well as treatment for unsightly vein problems. Using minimally invasive procedures and state-of-the-art technology, the NYU Vein Center treats everything from spider veins to venous ulcers. There are seven different surgeons on site who are not only trained in the art of vein surgery but who also train others around the world in the techniques and patient procedures that they have adopted at the new center.

The surgeons at the new Vein Center may be able to help you out with a number of different vein problems but they recommend preventative measures to avoid the problems altogether. Their recommendations for preventative care are based on the six E’s: Exercise on a regular basis, Elevation of the legs when resting, Emollient skin care lotions, Electrolyte balance in the body, Elastic support hose and Evaluation by your doctor. Even if you aren’t in Manhattan, you can follow the six E’s to prevent vein problems.

Photo of spider veins from NYU Vein Center.

Candela’s Gentle YAG laser system has started to become widely used for a variety of skin treatments but is only just beginning to be explored as a possible replacement for sclerotherapy. In the past, the only viable option for removing spider veins was sclerotherapy. Gentle YAG opens up the options to make spider vein removal a quicker, easier procedure.

In comparison with sclerotherapy, Gentle YAG is a more convenient option which gives more flexibility to you in terms of treatment. With sclerotherapy, attention needs to be paid to the timing of the treatments and summer is a bad time for them because of the tanning of the skin which normally happens during these months. Gentle YAG lasers don’t use the same technology as sclerotherapy and are safe for use during the summer months which is an ideal time for many people to consider such treatments.

Additionally, Gentle YAG requires fewer treatments to get rid of the unsightly spider veins. This means that you have more flexibility in scheduling your treatments and it costs you less in time spent at the doctor. Because of the ease of Gentle YAG treatment for veins in comparison with sclerotherapy, you may also be able to save on treatment costs.

Surgical stripping of the veins used to be the main method of treating varicose veins that were caused by superficial venous reflux disease. While this process is still used, you might be glad to know that there is an alternative treatment rising in popularity which is a lower-pain alternative to surgical stripping. The treatment, called The VNUS Closure Procedure, is a less-invasive surgery which allows it to not only cause less discomfort but also to allow for quicker healing.

The VNUS Closure Procedure does what it sounds like it does, closing off the problematic veins rather than actually stripping them from the body. This means that your doctor doesn’t have to do as much work, making the procedure less time-consuming and therefore less costly. Just like with the surgical stripping, the VNUS closure procedure takes care of the problems caused by venous reflux and reduces the appearance of varicose veins.

Learn more about this treatment alternative from The Daily News of Newburyport.

Photo from www.vnus.com.

None of us particularly like wearing those compression stockings that our doctor gives us, but we wear them anyway because we know that they’re good for us. In the treatment of varicose veins and other venous issues, these compression stockings have become practically indispensable. But you should know that you ought not just throw them out once the varicose vein treatment is over. That’s because research is showing that the compression stockings are also good for use during normal exercise!

Whether you’re actually athletic or you just walk around the block a few times each week to get your cardio in, compression stockings could have a number of benefits for you during this exercise. The main benefit is pain reduction. If you have ever suffered from sore muscles due to exercise, you may avoid pushing yourself because you don’t want to endure this kind of pain again. Compression stockings have been found to reduce that pain so that you can maximize your exercise.

Learn more from The Age.

Photo found here.