Busan Thoracic Surgery Director Seung-in Yang’s “Seung-Seung Column”

Preventing Varicose Veins? Without ‘This,’ They May Recur.

Greetings. I am Seung-in Yang, the Representative Director of Busan Thoracic Surgery. As the summer heat continues, many people look forward to vacations and leisure time. However, for varicose vein patients, summer is not always a welcome season. This is because the symptoms of varicose veins often worsen during the summer months.

Varicose veins are a condition where the valves inside the leg veins weaken, causing blood that should flow toward the heart to reflux (flow backward), resulting in dilated and enlarged veins. The typical symptom is blue or red veins bulging unevenly on the legs. Patients often complain of discomfort such as swelling, heaviness, pain, cramping, and itching.

In particular, during summer, high temperatures cause blood vessels to expand, which can compress surrounding muscles, skin, and nerve tissues, making these symptoms more severe. If left untreated, varicose veins do not end simply as a cosmetic issue of protruding veins.

Understanding the Advantages of Sclerotherapy (Non-surgical Treatment)

Not all varicose veins require surgery. While many believe that "varicose veins must always be operated on," this is not necessarily the case. Depending on the symptoms and the degree of blood reflux, non-surgical treatment called sclerotherapy is possible for patients with relatively mild conditions.

Sclerotherapy is a method of injecting a specialized medicinal agent into small veins to adhere the inner walls and block blood flow. It has the advantages of a short procedure time, fast recovery, and the ability to return to daily life immediately. It is also frequently performed as a supplementary measure to prevent recurrence after surgery. However, since the effectiveness of the procedure can vary significantly depending on the experience and expertise of the medical staff, it is crucial to be treated by a skilled specialist.

Because the causes and symptoms of varicose veins differ for each individual, an accurate diagnosis and a customized treatment plan are essential. Recurrence can only be minimized by closely identifying each patient's blood flow status through vascular ultrasound and selecting the appropriate treatment method.

The Key to Completely Curing Varicose Veins: Aftercare

In clinical practice, I always emphasize "treatment that considers the patient's lifestyle, occupational characteristics, and vascular condition." This is because the best results for varicose veins can only be expected when treatment is combined with post-treatment management and lifestyle corrections.

Many people are deeply concerned about worsening varicose vein symptoms during the summer. However, if you receive an accurate diagnosis early and proceed with treatment tailored to your condition, it can be sufficiently improved.

I, Seung-in Yang, will continue to do my best to reduce recurrence for varicose vein patients and provide safe and comfortable treatment. Thank you.