Vein Treatments for Pregnant Women on Long Island

Spider veins and varicose veins are both common during and after pregnancy. While the pregnancy itself doesn’t cause them, there are several things that occur while pregnant which contribute to damaged veins. The first is that blood volume doubles during pregnancy in order to supply the fetus. This extra fluid stretches the vein, which makes it harder for the valves inside the veins to close tightly once blood flows through. As a result, blood flows in reverse and collects beneath the faulty valve. This causes the vessel to swell and contort into a varicose vein. Or it causes tiny, new blood vessels to branch out from the engorged vein. These are spider veins.

The hormonal fluctuations that accompany pregnancy also increase blood pressure and progesterone, which relaxes the vein walls. These can impact the incidence of spider and varicose veins. As the uterus expands, it can press on the pelvic veins. That pressure can also contribute to those unpleasant-looking veins. If you’re pregnant or have delivered a baby and have vein damage, book an appointment with our renowned vein doctors on Long Island. We have decades of experience treating this common problem that often coincides with pregnancy. 

The best vein treatments for pregnant women on Long Island are typically minimally invasive procedures. These are non-surgical, but they’re more advanced than cosmetic procedures. Vein damage in pregnancy often results from the valve failure mentioned above. When it’s untreated, it turns into a condition called Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Vein doctors need to treat those malfunctioning valves in deeper veins, not just the surface damage, to prevent an ongoing development of vein damage and symptoms.

They do this with tiny, innovative devices and ultrasound guidance. Vein specialists can usually treat Chronic Venous Insufficiency during the same appointment when they treat your visible vein damage. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and it prevents a frustrating recurrence of varicose and spider veins. Here are four ways we treat veins and vein disease at our Long Island vein clinics.

• Sclerotherapy (Varithena)
• Mechanochemical Ablation (ClariVein)
• Radiofrequency Ablation (ClosureFast)
• Vein Adhesives (VenaSeal)

In most cases, it is safer to wait until after delivery to treat your spider or varicose veins. Minimally invasive vein treatments inject medicines, adhesives, or thermal energy into the vein. They often use a two-step approach. For instance, they might seal off the top of the damaged vein with an adhesive and then treat the remaining portion with a sclerosant. As such, it’s highly unlikely for the treatment to travel beyond the treated area. However, since veins supply blood to the fetus, most doctors will wait until after pregnancy out of an abundance of caution.

In some cases, damaged veins involve a more serious issue like a blood clot or an infection. In these instances, vein specialists will determine the best course of action to treat the urgent concern. It’s always important to see a vein doctor when new vein damage develops. They can use tools that are safe during pregnancy, including ultrasonography to observe your deeper veins and identify any problems. Vein doctors can also recommend things to manage symptoms like elevating your legs while relaxing, sleeping on your left side, and avoiding long periods of sitting or standing.

You need an experienced vein specialist to treat defective veins that develop during pregnancy. They will know when it’s safe to administer treatment. They can also decipher between varicose veins and veins that are simply enlarged because of the extra blood volume. Some larger veins will naturally shrink after pregnancy. Others contain broken valves or weakened walls, so they won’t go away. Our vein experts use diagnostic tools to create a customized plan for your veins. Dr. Thomas Arnold has provided exceptional care for Long Island residents for nearly three decades. Dr. Zalekha Shair is a Long Island native with expertise and compassion for her community’s health. Visit Dr. Arnold in Port Jefferson near Suffolk OBGYN. Visit Dr. Shair in West Islip near Advanced Dermatology or at her Jericho vein clinic near Opus Steakhouse. 

Book a vein doctor as soon as you see varicose veins or spider veins developing. Detecting the underlying cause, including Chronic Venous Insufficiency, blood clots, and elevated blood pressure, can help prevent additional vein damage. Vein specialists can identify issues with safe tools to help ensure a healthy pregnancy. If you plan to become pregnant, you can also schedule a preventative care consultation. We can study your vasculature with vein mapping tests to locate any blood clots or malfunctioning veins before pregnancy. That will help prevent those bothersome veins from developing. We look forward to providing exceptional vein care before, during, and after your pregnancy.