Getting my leg varicose veins sorted!

[Jocasta2018]

I'm 48 & the last couple of years I've developed a couple of corking great varicose veins on my calves, in particular my left calf.
I'm very conscious of it to the point that I no longer wear skirts unless I'm wearing thick tights.
I already have quite muscly, chunky legs & cankles which is bad enough as I'm only 5ft tall.
I exercise, BMI of 22, drink plenty of water.
I know it's vacuous & I should love my body, etc, etc but it just looks so ugly!
Anyway, can anyone recommend a clinic that deals with them effectively, either in Central London or the Guildford area.
Thank-you!

Not what ypu want to hear but...

Approach any and all private clinics with extreme caution.

I had one broken vein on the back of my leg (ill fitting wellingtons at a festival)

Was treated on harley street by highly recommended surgeon excellent reviews blah blah.
God knows how but i was left with a burn from the alcohol (or whatever it is they use to close the vein) so a scar and now my leg perodically get very hot and itchy.
I also now have a permenant bruise as well as scar and when i approached my very good GP about the hitness and itchiness they advised a topical cream and minimal leg "interference" (this works great for me)

Educate yourself on the doctor, expected outcomes and side effects/relapse rates.
I did my homework but wish I'd done more.
It was a very expensive and painful lesson.

Hi OP, I'm a similar age and area except that my main vein is on the right calf! I've had a look at the Whiteley Clinic as that's in Guildford so I'm tempted to go and see them once I get over my squeamishness!

PS: @LadyFrumpington ,thanks for the cautionary note. If the clinic I've suggested happens to be the one you used, would you be able to pm me, thank you.

Chris Evans raves about the clinic who treated his with microwave - not sure where but sure you can find it

@LadyFrumpington
Thanks for that advice - can you specify which treatment you had and where? Did the clinic perform any further treatment (free) to sort out the results?
I'm going to be doing a MAJOR amount of research as I really don't want to end up with it looking worse... I'm thinking of doing it over autumn/winter so in theory plenty of time to suss out the best treatment, etc.

I'm the same and weighing out the long term health risks in the future as they ulcerate as you get older.

Please post any positive clinics

I had mine done in Parkside in Wimbledon. It was far more sore than I could have anticipated. But I wish I’d had it done years before. The pleasure of wearing shorts and skirts and not being conscious of my lumpy veins is immense.

Might not be local enough but lost if the school
Mums and dads local
To me have used these people.

radianceveinclinic.com/meet-the-team

I was lucky enough to get mine covered by private medical
Insurance so not sure on cost!

I decided against it as I read that removing some veins puts more pressure on remaining ones, which then can start to bulge

So then you are back to square one

But maybe that is outdated info?!

I happily wear shorts and short skirts either way, as I am reaching that wonderful age where I think nobody looks at, or cares about, my legs anyway ....invisible middle aged woman? Bring it on!

The French are meant to be good for leg veins. Even the best surgeons will have poor outcomes because you never know how the patients will respond to treatment.

I used Veincentre (www.veincentre.com). Few years ago now, very happy with the results. I had mine done in Stoke but I think there are clinics all over.

That's non surgical btw, using laser ablation.

I had it done privately at one of the clinics mentioned above that has five star reviews etc. It was good and quick but left me with agonizing nerve pain. Still , after it subsided there were a few months where I had the unveiny legs I’d dreamed of before another far worse one popped up on the same leg. But this time, untreatable by laser. Would require the more traditional stripping operaration, which is hugely disruptive and I’d wanted to avoid .

Operation

Also I’d say, since I had the op water retention and swelling in my legs is an issue. So my legs may be vein free but they look fatter

So it's a big NO then..,, looks like I'll keep wearing trousers!
Irritatingly both my parents have fantastic slim non-veiny legs even in their late 70s - not entirely sure where mine came from in the gene pool :(

I had a severely varicose great saphenous vein and it was painful but I had it dealt with via an outpatient procedure in the surgeon's office and I needed a couple follow up appointments but it was instantly better! My leg healed well and no residual pain and can wear shorts without issue. My own mother and gran had to have general anesthesia for same results

Hi OP

I had mine done at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in St John's Wood about six years ago (EVLT), I was really happy with the result and it still looks good. I had health insurance that paid for it at the time, but if I had paid I think it would have been a couple of thousand.

www.hje.org.uk/services/varicose-vein-clinic/

Mine was successful and as well as looking better (which is why I went) it also cured my achy legs. Apparently that was vein related too. That was 3 years ago how. Laser day surgery. Took a few days to recover. Had the other leg done 2 weeks later!

I had mine done about 8 years ago - laser I think. After two years they were back and worse than ever.

I inherited mum’s legs (thanks, mum!) developed varicose veins really young including one absolute prize specimen that was a fetching navy blue. Had them treated with foam sclerotherapy at Courthouse Clinic (they are nationwide). Fairly painless, you wear compression stockings for a few weeks after which was the worst bit as it was hot and itchy in bed (get them done in cooler weather). Very happy and results still good ten years later. Those veins can ache and cause trouble, and they are not working properly anyway. You get an ultrasound first to find the vein where the valve preventing backflow isn’t working and they treat that one first. My right leg needs doing now but not in a flippin’ heatwave with social distancing etc.

Legs prone to varicose veins are prone to fluid retention, hence the cankles! Get into the habit of massaging your legs firmly but gently working upwards towards your heart. Do this a couple of times a day and you’ll notice quite a difference. Also, a good herbal supplement containing horse chestnut and vine leaf does help, as does exercise.

I've had two operations - one in each leg - the first abt 25 years ago, the second 10 years ago. Never had any problems with either - no water retention, no reoccurrence of veins etc and I am so thankful that I had them done !!! I think the results must be down to quality of treatment and individual differences in how the legs respond afterwards - but please don't be put off by the negative outcomes that some people have had - talk to some consultants and make up your mind after that. One GP tried to put me off having any treatment - but I am so glad I did - god knows how they would have looked now if I had left them !

I second what Crafty says. Exercise really helps. Plus Butcher's Broom, Horse Chestnut gel and supplements, Red Vine leaf supplements and Dr Organic's Royal Jelly. I also order Hirudoid Gel online and altogether I have had fantastic results. It takes a few months but I have gone from itchy, ugly veins snaking over my leg to barely anything at all. They will probably never vanish completely but you have to look now to really notice.

I would never have believed supplements, exercise and creams could have such an impact, but they have. Oh - I gave up alcohol and drink around 2 litres of water if not more, each day too.

@Binterested

I had mine done about 8 years ago - laser I think. After two years they were back and worse than ever.

Sadly, this was my experience too. I had surgery so I have also now have white scars on my leg.......

It really is the luck of the draw and VVs run in my family sadly. I have never been overweight, have exercised, etc. etc. Whereas my MiL had 7 children very close together and has been very overweight all her life. But at the age of 70, still had lovely blemish free legs. But the happy ending is that my DD has her nana's legs and not her DMs.

Mine is also very hereditary. From my dad who is slim and fit and had no pregnancies . I’ve had mine since I was about 14.