Laser instead of scalpel: JUVENIS quietly says goodbye to varicose veins

Prof. Dr. Tamara Kopp

Ice water, eucalyptus creams, calf compresses. If nothing helps and your legs are tired, swollen and heavy, this is usually a sign of venous insufficiency. The medical experts at JUVENIS get the blood flow going again. "The treatments usually take several months," says Prof. Dr. Tamara Kopp, dermatologist, specialist in venereology and co-founder of JUVENIS. Even if the bikini season is already over, fall is the best time to start a treatment and then start the next summer with beautiful legs.

The JUVENIS team not only has the best doctors for all vein treatments, but the center also has state-of-the-art medical equipment. The medical team's approach: instead of immediately reaching for the knife, there are great laser methods that gently deliver very beautiful results.

Diagnosis of venous insufficiency

Gentle vein treatment with laser

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic problem. "Venous insufficiency can become a serious health risk," says Prof. Dr. Christoph Kopp, specialist in internal medicine, cardiology and angiology at JUVENIS. "Typical symptoms include a feeling of tightness in the legs, cramps, skin changes and inflammation, which can even lead to the development of an ulcer."

The JUVENIS medical team gets to the bottom of the symptoms and helps to find the right treatment. During the examination, the different types of varicose veins are identified and their severity and distribution patterns are assessed. "On palpation, hardening and pain can be an indication of vein inflammation; an ultrasound provides clarity," says Prof. Dr. Christoph Kopp. "If thrombosis is suspected, a phlebography, which is an X-ray examination with contrast medium imaging of the veins, is also carried out."

Gentle therapy methods instead of surgery with a scalpel

The credo of JUVENIS: "We prefer gentle methods," says Prof. Dr. Tamara Kopp. "We only use a scalpel when there are no alternatives." Accordingly, the medical team also takes a soft approach to varicose veins.

Top results: Sclerotherapy with laser & co

Prof. Dr. Christoph Kopp

Most spider veins respond well to modern laser therapies. "The Nd:YAG laser, for example, sends infrared heat energy into the vessel walls and the blood," says Ass. Prof. Priv. Doz. Dr. Markus Klinger, specialist in general surgery and vascular surgery. "This causes the vessel walls to heat up and contract." The result: the red lines lighten and continue to become lighter for weeks after the treatment - without the skin being touched by a scalpel. Sclerotherapy or foam sclerotherapy is the ideal treatment for slightly larger spider vein varicose veins, reticular varicose veins and side branch varicose veins.

An alcohol-like substance is injected into the veins to be treated, which triggers an inflammatory reaction in the vessel walls, causing them to stick together and dissolve over time, becoming invisible. In order to be able to proceed precisely, the varicose veins are made visible using a new type of LED light source and the sclerosing agent is then injected. In stubborn cases, surgical intervention is advisable: miniphlebectomy and perforator vein ligation are the methods used to treat side branch varicosis and perforator insufficiency. "The vein is removed with a small hook via 5 millimeter short skin incisions," says Ass. Prof. Priv. Doz. Dr. Markus Klinger.

The small incisions are then sutured using plastic surgery techniques so that the scars are barely visible after healing. Endoluminal laser treatment is also effective in many cases of venous disorders of the large leg veins (truncal varicosis of the large leading veins): "This is a procedure in which the affected vein is obliterated or closed using a laser. The treated vein remains in the body and breaks down in the months following the treatment. The varicose vein disappears magically, so to speak," says Prof. Dr. Christoph Kopp.

Surgical methods are most suitable for very pronounced vein problems. In this case, one or both large leg veins must be surgically removed: "We perform a so-called stripping and crossectomy under general anesthesia in a cooperating private hospital," says Ass. Prof. Priv. Doz. Dr. Markus Klinger. The result is the same in all cases: freedom from discomfort for the patient and the wonderful feeling of being able to wear all those colorful skirts and shorts with pride and pleasure next summer.

Further information on vein treatment at JUVENIS.