Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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What is Elite Vein Specialists?
Elite Vein Specialists is a full service
diagnostic and treatment medical facility specializing in the
evaluation and management of all types of vein disease. We treat
large varicose veins, leg spider veins and hand veins.
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Where is Elite Vein Specialists located?
Elite Vein Specialists is located in Walnut Creek, California.
Our address is:
675 Ygnacio Valley Road, suite B214
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 937-8346
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How are appointments scheduled?
All appointments are scheduled by calling (925) 937-8346. No referrals are needed for our initial, low cost consultation.
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What services are offered at Elite Vein Specialists?
Dr. Nicholas H. Hyde, medical director of Elite
Vein Specialists, is a phlebologist - a physician with a special
interest and training in the diagnosis and management of all types of
venous disease. At Elite Vein Specialists all types of varicose
veins and spiders are treated - from cosmetically important spider
veins and facial veins to large painful varicose veins.
Specifically, we evaluate and treat:
- Varicose veins - large and small
- Leg spider veins
- Facial veins
- Breast Veins
- Hand Veins
*Taking advantage of Dr. Hyde's vast experience
with needles and injection techniques, EVS is delighted to offer botox
injections for dimunition of fine wrinkles. Please ask Dr. Hyde
and his staff if you are interested in these services.
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How are diseased veins treated at Elite Vein Specialists?
Elite Vein Specialists is a full service, state of
the art medical facility offering advanced, outpatient treatment
services for all types of varicose veins, leg spiders and facial
veins. We perform the following procedures and services:
- Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy - large varicose veins and wide spread spiders
- ELVeS-cutting edge endovenous laser solution to large varicose veins originating high in the leg
- Surface laser treatment of small leg spiders after sclerotherapy
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy
- Compression Therapy
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I have large varicose veins. How should they be treated?
Happily, the days of surgical stripping for large
varicose veins are all but gone. Rarely now must patients endure
hospitalization, undergo general anesthesia, experience considerable
pain or miss extended time from work or play because of surgery for
varicose veins.
Now, because of advances in color-flow ultrasound imaging equipment and
the development of newer and more complex sclerotherapy techniques as
practiced at Elite Vein Specialists, physicians trained and skilled in
performing a new procedure called "Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy" can
successfully treat even very large varicose veins right in their
offices without surgery, without anesthesia, and with virtually no
post-operative down time.
When seeking treatment for your vein problem, be sure to ask about
"ultrasound guided sclerotherapy" if you have medium to large sized
varicose veins or wide-spread spider vein disease.
For patients with large varicose veins secondary to sapheno-femoral
junction (groin area) reflux, Elite Vein Specialists offers ELVeS, an
outpatient local alternative to vein stripping and ligation. This
has a greater than 98% success rate after a single treatment session.
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How are spider veins treated? I've been told nothing can be done for them.
Virtually any type of spider vein - whether on the
legs or face - can now be treated with sclerotherapy, laser, ultrasound
guided sclerotherapy and often times, a combination of techniques
depending upon the type and severity of the problem that exists.
When patients come in for their initial consultation, they are advised
on the best type of treatments for their own particular problem.
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What exactly is sclerotherapy? Is it painful?
Developed over 40 years ago in Europe,
sclerotherapy at Elite Vein Specialists utilizes only FDA approved
drugs to close undesired veins. It is a simple, nearly painless,
vessel injection technique that causes vein closure. Veins most
commonly treated are leg spider veins, blue-green veins (that often are
the blood supply to nests of spider veins) and varicose veins.
Other successful areas for sclerotherapy include hands, breasts, and
small spiders on shoulders or back. A treatment session typically lasts
30 minutes after which stockings are applied and walking for 20-30
minutes occurs to complete the session. Patients often benefit if
they also are having leg fatigue or pain due to their vein disease.
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What exactly is ultrasound guided sclerotherapy? Why is it so important?
All diseased veins - from the largest of varicose
veins to the tiniest of spiders - are caused by abnormal leakage of
blood through faulty valves located inside veins deep beneath the
surface of the skin. Over time, this abnormal leakage of blood,
also called reflux causes veins visible on the skin surface to dilate
and turn into diseased veins we call varicose veins and spiders.
In order for sclerotherapy to be successful, the source of this venous
reflux must be both identified by the treating doctor and injected or
treated with sclerosing solution so the varicose vein caused by this
leakage will disappear.
Often the source of reflux causing varicose veins and even spiders is
much deeper than can be reached by injecting from the skin surface, and
since conventional sclerotherapy is done right on the surface of the
skin, regular sclerotherapy will not be effective in treating
veins caused by such a source of reflux.
We also offer ultrasound guided sclerotherapy. Ultrasound can see below the surface of the skin!
If abnormal veins deep under the skin can be visualized with the
ultrasound machine, then Dr. Hyde can successfully guide a needle
directly into the source of reflux and satisfactorily treat that source
with the result of complete disappearance of the varicose vein
originating from that source.
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What is foam sclerotherapy?
Foam sclerotherapy is an emulsion of the same drug
that we use for conventional sclerotherapy. It appears to have
much greater clinical effect on the inner wall of veins. It suffers
less dilution from blood and perhaps displaces blood rather than simply
mixing with it. The results are very positive probably due to
greater drug-vessel wall surface contact. This procedure provides
outstanding results with less concentrated drug requirements.
This often leads to faster results with less treatment sessions.
Foam sclerotherapy works extremely well on larger vessels in
conjunction with ultrasound guided injections.
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What about surface laser for treatment of varicose veins?
Although surface lasers do serve an effective role
in treating small facial veins (especially reddish spider veins), they
still in my opinion have a very limited role in treating large varicose
veins. Firstly, they don't treat the underlying reverse flow or
valve incompetence. Secondly, it is a painful, costly procedure
often involving multiple sessions. Lasers can assist after
sclerotherapy if small remnant vessels remain.
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Is sclerotherapy expensive?
Many people are surprised just how inexpensive
sclerotherapy is, especially if they have had other cosmetic procedures
performed. Your actual cost will depend upon the number of
treatment sessions required and the extent of your disease. A
highly accurate quote estimate will be supplied at the end of your
initial consultation. We accept cash, personal checks, bank debit
cards, and major credit cards.
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How many sclerotherapy treatments are necessary?
Regardless of the type of treatments needed, the
number of treatment sessions varies depending upon the extent of vein
disease, patient compliance with the post-treatment instructions and
types of veins present. People usually have a mixture of diseased
veins and each type of vein requires different treatment. Spider
veins usually require three to five treatments, larger reticular veins
more, and large varicose veins even more. Improvement will be
noticed after every treatment and most people notice a fairly good
degree of improvement after just three to four treatments.
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What is the goal of sclerotherapy?
As with all cosmetic procedures, we look for
improvement... not perfection. With patience and good compliance,
sclerotherapy and laser can effectively improve the appearance and
health of your legs and leg circulation.
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Can varicose and spider veins reappear?
Once a varicosity or spider vein has been
adequately treated, that vein is gone forever and will not
reappear. You can, however, develop new varicosities and/or
spider veins in other areas or even in areas that were previously
treated.
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Will getting rid of varicose veins and spider veins hurt my circulation?
Removal of true varicosities actually improves
venous circulation by helping to restore normal venous blood volumes
and venous pressures. In general, the removal of spider veins has
a minimal effect on overall circulation and may improve local venous
circulation in the area treated.
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Can I get a blood clot from injection therapy (sclerotherapy)?
Blood clots do occur in the superficial
varicosities being treated by injection therapy. They occur when
the vein is shut down during injection therapy, but they do not impose
any health risks and resolve as the injected vein is absorbed by the
body. These superficial blood clots should not be confused with
much more dangerous blood clots which can occur for other reasons in
the deeper veins in the legs.
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How long will it take before I see results?
This varies based on the severity of the disease
being treated. Some individuals see results within a few weeks,
but we caution most people not to expect their best cosmetic results
for two to three months. In rare instances, it may take up to six
months before the best cosmetic result is achieved. Individuals
who are being treated for symptomatic varicosities will notice
improvement in their symptoms within the first week or two following
treatment.
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Where do these veins come from?
Both varicosities and spider veins arise from
previously normal veins that have become enlarged and dilated.
The most common causes of vein enlargement are an inherited weakness in
the vein wall and local injury.
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When can I start exercising following treatment?
In general, light exercise can be started
approximately 72-hours following injection or light-based therapy
treatment with resumption of normal or even aggressive activity at one
week.
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Does sclerotherapy cause discomfort during treatment?
There is minimal discomfort during treatment
employing either of these therapies. Sclerotherapy is performed
with extremely small needles close to the diameter of a hair, and most
individuals barely feel the injection at all. Many feel that this
sensation is much less painful than having your legs waxed.
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Will my insurance cover these treatments?
Insurance will reimburse a percentage of the
treatment cost if there is a documented problem of venous
insufficiency. If you have a medical problem and if you receive a
positive result from a Doppler Duplex Ultrasound Scan, we can provide
the diagnostic and procedure codes for pre-certification by your
insurance company. It is important to note that each insurance
company reimburses different amounts for these treatments. We
will work with you to ensure you receive the most reimbursement
possible. We also accept cash, personal checks, bank debit cards,
and major credit cards.
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