VARICOSE & SPIDER VEIN TREATMENT IN LOS ANGELES
Conveniently located to serve Los Angeles
Nu Vela is a modern laser and vein treatment center located in Porter Ranch, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles. The center offers the most advanced vein treatment procedures that are currently available in the Los Angeles area. All treatments provided by the vein center involve office-based, technologically advanced, minimally invasive procedures.
Veins that can be treated at our vein treatment center include visible and often unsightly veins that appear on the chest, face, hands, arms, and troublesome leg veins; namely, saphenous and perforator veins, varicose veins, reticular veins (blue veins), and spider veins.
Whether you have pesky visible veins or leg pain associated with varicose veins, Dr. Raffi Dishakjian, M.D., a highly skilled vein surgeon, will be delighted to assist you and offer his advice and suggestions. Dr. Dishakjian will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that fits your condition and meets your expectations.
SURGICAL AND NON-SURGICAL VEIN TREATMENT OPTIONS
Until a few years ago, the treatment of veins was the domain of vascular surgeons, since treatment meant surgery and general anesthesia. The procedures are known as vein ligation, stripping, and phlebectomy.
Nowadays, with the advent of portable office based duplex ultrasound technology, medical lasers, and endovenous ablation techniques (heating the vein from inside with a catheter), the surgical scalpel is replaced with needles and lasers. As a result, the associated skin incisions, scarring, and hospitalization are eliminated, moving the procedure from the operating room to the office setting and vein clinics.
Vein Removal Our Vein Treatment Center
Dilated superficial veins can appear on different parts of the body and come in different sizes and forms. Accordingly, no single treatment modality is effective or safe to treat every type of vein.
Whereas lasers are very good at treating facial veins, for example, they give very poor result when applied to leg veins. Fortunately, during the last couple of decades, new non-surgical techniques and technologies have evolved. These are devised to safely and effectively treat any type of problematic vein.
At Nu Vela Laser and Vein Center, we take pride that we are equipped with cutting-edge, state-of-the-art technologies and lasers that can deliver excellent treatment results with minimum pain and no scarring.
Dr. Dishakjian, the phlebologist at the center, is qualified to offer an extensive variety of treatments to meet the individual needs of the patient. The minimally invasive treatments provided by our vein center include:
- Sclerotherapy for reticular and spider vein removal
- Venefit™ or Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) for varicose vein treatment
- Foam sclerotherapy for small superficial leg varicose veins elimination
- Microphlebectomy for removing the very superficial veins
- Laser vein removal for eliminating chest and facial veins
Please go to our before and after vein treatment photo gallery to have an idea on the range of veins we treat and the treatment outcome you can expect.
Overview of Spider and Varicose Vein Treatment Procedures
The descriptions given below are very brief. Procedure details and their range of applications are available in the relevant pages of our website.
COMPRESSION THERAPY FOR LEG VEINS
Until a decade ago, compression therapy involving bandaging or wearing of compression stockings was the only option available to vein patients preferring a non-surgical solution to their vein problems.
Although compression stockings offer some relief to patients with aching and heavy legs and are beneficial to those with existing blood clots in the deep and superficial veins, or in healing ulcers; these stockings can’t eliminate varicose and spider veins. Moreover, they do not cure chronic venous insufficiency, the underlying cause of vein disease, also known as venous reflux.
Spider vein removal with Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is the standard treatment for spider veins, reticular veins (small blue veins), and superficial small varicose veins. These veins usually appear on the leg, but may also appear on the face, chest and the hands.
SPIDER AND SMALL BLUE VEINS TREATED WITH SCLEROTHERAPY
*Individual results may vary.
Sclerotherapy entails injection of a sclerosing solution into a spider or reticular vein through a very fine needle. The chemical takes effect right away, collapsing the blood vessel within a few seconds. Subsequently, the body’s natural healing process re-routes the blood flow through healthy veins. Eventually, the bothersome vein fades from view over a period of several weeks.
The spider vein removal procedure is performed using the thinnest possible needles. Thus, pain due to injection is minimized. In fact, most patients are pleasantly surprised about how painless this experience is. Typically, 2-3 treatment sessions are needed for the gradual fading of the treated veins.
Whereas wearing compression stockings for about a week is the standard recommendation after leg vein sclerotherapy, hand vein removal may require only 2-3 days of compression. On the other hand, compression is not required at all after chest vein treatment.
Besides noticeable cosmetic benefits, sclerotherapy of leg veins may also remedy the bothersome symptoms associated with spider veins. These include aching or burning legs, and night leg cramps. For more about the procedure and FAQs, please go to sclerotherapy Los Angeles or sclerotherapy FAQ.
Venefit™ and EVLT for varicose vein treatments
At last, two minimally invasive and gentle alternative procedures to painful vein stripping surgery for varicose veins and superficial venous reflux disease therapy; namely, Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) and Venefit™ Targeted Endovenous Therapy (formerly known as VNUS Closure™).
EVLT and Venefit are two office-based procedures that eliminate the major superficial diseased veins that are in direct communication with the deep venous system; namely, the saphenous and perforator veins.
Both treatments are performed under local anesthesia. A needle hole opening, typically just above or below the knee, is used to thread a catheter (Venefit or VNUS) or a laser fiber (EVLT) into the vein,
During the procedure, the catheter or the laser fiber is guided up the thigh and positioned using duplex ultrasound imaging. Then, radiofrequency or laser energy is precisely delivered to the identified diseased vein. The generated heat energy causes the varicose vein wall to collapse permanently.
Dr. Dishakjian of our vein clinic will later treat any remaining side branches with sclerotherapy, foam sclerotherapy, or microphlebectomy. The choice will depend on the size and nature of any remaining veins.
VNUS CLOSURE FOR VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENT
*Individual results may vary.
Foam sclerotherapy for medium-sized veins
Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is one of the latest innovative treatments for superficial leg varicose veins. The technique is ideally suitable for the medium-sized veins that cannot be treated with liquid sclerotherapy. With veins that are not small, a liquid injected in the vein is diluted by blood; hence the need for larger amounts.
Foam sclerotherapy overcomes this problem by combining traditional sclerotherapy with natural gas to produce a shaving cream-like foam. The foamed agent does not readily mix with blood, keeping its full potency throughout the treated vein section. Furthermore, foaming provides a large contact surface between the vein wall and the foam using little medication.
Varicose vein treatment with this procedure is associated with minimal to no pain. The procedure involves the insertion of a catheter or a needle into the main affected superficial vein through which the foam is injected. The Duplex ultrasound imaging is then used to guide and monitor the spread of the foam.
THE DOCTOR ON ABC EYEWITNESS NEWS
Microphlebectomy for removing superficial veins
Also known as ambulatory phlebectomy, is a method of removing the very superficial bulging veins through tiny punctures. The vein removal procedure, originally developed in Europe, is ideal for getting rid of foot and leg veins. These veins are often too large to treat with sclerotherapy and too close to the skin for endovenous thermal procedures.
Vein removal using microphlebectomy is normally done in a doctor’s office using a local anesthetic. Skin incisions or needle punctures as small as 1 mm are used to extract a vein with a phlebectomy hook. The hook is inserted into the tiny puncture, a section of the vein is hooked, and then removed through the incision. Usually, the punctures do not require stitches.
By removing certain sections of the vein, the areas of the vein which are not removed will “clot off”. The technique eliminates the bulging veins for good.
There is very little discomfort with the procedure and very little “down time” during recovery. Hence, most individuals are allowed to return to work and resume their normal activities on the following day. Compression during the following two weeks minimizes the swelling and discomfort and accelerates healing.
Laser vein removal for superficial small veins
Laser vein removal may be an alternative or complementary to sclerotherapy for the elimination of spider and reticular veins that appear on the chest and other parts of the body.
The principle behind all laser and intense pulse light (IPL) treatments of superficial veins is the same. The laser’s energy is selectively absorbed by the red blood cells inside the veins, and the generated heat destroys the vessels. Over time, the remains are absorbed by the body and the targeted veins disappear.
Even though facial veins may as well be treated with sclerotherapy, lasers and light-based treatments are the safest options for facial veins. The problem with sclerotherapy around the eye is that the injected medicine could travel backward into vital structures of the head. Hence, it can cause vision loss or blindness in rare cases.
Cutera© and the Sciton Profile lasers that are available at our vein clinic are the most advanced and flexible lasers. These lasers can be optimized according to the skin color and type and the size of the veins that need treatment.
Both laser and IPL treatments are generally safe, provided they are performed by a qualified physician, like Dr. Dishakjian, who is also a cosmetic surgeon with long experience in handling lasers.
FACIAL RETICULAR VEIN – LASER TREATMENT
*Individual results may vary.
NOSE SPIDER VEINS – LASER REMOVAL
*Individual results may vary.
Type of Doctors who Treat Varicose Veins
Whereas many vascular surgeons still practice the traditional vein stripping and ligation, the practice of Phlebology (vein care) has undergone a revolutionary change fueled by technological innovations.
Currently, phlebologists come from a diverse mix of medical backgrounds, like radiology or anesthesiology; specialties involving expertise in needle based vascular access.
According to the definition given by the American College of Phlebology, a phlebologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of vein disorders. In the year 2005, the American Medical Association, AMA, recognized phlebology as a separate self-designated specialty, the same as dermatology, vascular surgery, or any other recognized specialty.
Dr. R. Dishakjian is a board certified anesthesiologist and a phlebologist with a long surgical operating room experience. Moreover, Dr. Dishakjian is a cosmetic surgeon and an expert in cosmetic lasers.
Accordingly, besides being treated by an expert phlebologist, patients of our vein clinic can be assured of the best possible cosmetic outcome. Please read the online reviews written by our patients and call us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Dishakjian.
What to Expect from Your Vein Clinic
At Nu Vela Laser and Vein Center, evaluation and assessment begin during your consultation session with Dr. Dishakjian. During this session, Dr. Dishakjian takes notes of your medical history and collects information related to the specifics of your venous disease. These include family history, predisposing factors (such as clotting disorders), symptom onset, and information about previous treatments.
In conjunction, Dr. Dishakjian may perform a physical examination of the varicose veins in your legs. He will then suggest an Ultrasound test to collect essential and detailed information regarding your venous anatomy and function.
The doctor will then discuss vein treatment options, necessity, cost, insurance coverage, and side effects. Finally, he will carefully coordinate an appropriate and customized treatment program to meet your specific needs, restore optimal vein health, and deliver the cosmetically desired results.
Diagnostic Ultrasound for Evaluating Vein Disorders
Treatment failure of leg veins is often due to overlooking problems with deeper veins in the legs, such as refluxing saphenous and perforator veins. Only ultrasound can diagnose these problems.
If the test is ordered and performed at a hospital or outpatient diagnostic center, it is often done by a technologist, who is not usually properly trained in evaluating the superficial veins.
At Nu Vela Laser and Vein Center, patients are not referred to an outside imaging center or hospital for ultrasound evaluation; Dr. R. Dishakjian, with extensive experience with the technology, personally performs all ultrasound evaluations.
Questions About Cost of Vein Treatment or a Treatment?
Our vein treatment center is located in the northwest San Fernando Valley, with easy connection from most local Los Angeles freeways. Click the “Contact” button at the top of the page for directions, or call 818-832-4500. The receptionist at the front desk will be delighted to assist you with any inquiries or scheduling an appointment.
Note that Consultation with the vein doctor is free with the purchase of any service. We charge a nominal refundable consultation fee for the first office visit only. However, this fee is fully credited towards a subsequently purchased service.
It should be mentioned that most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover the treatment of varicose veins, once the medical necessity is established. We should mention that the cost of an Ultrasound test is not included in the consultation fee; however, three-quarters of what you pay is reimbursable as payment towards varicose vein treatment.