REPOST: When Spider Veins Happen to Young Women

While the appearance of spider veins usually peaks at older adulthood, younger women are not exempt from catching this bug. Charlotte Hilton Andersen's article on Shape.com shatters the myth of the age-related condition and advises afflicted younger women on some treatment options:

Maybe it was while rubbing on lotion post-shower or stretching in your new shorts after six miles on the treadmill. Whenever you noticed them, you freaked out: “I’m too young for spider veins!” The unfortunate truth is these blue or red lines don’t exclusively happen to retirees.

"It's a myth that only elderly women get spider veins; nearly everyone gets them at some point in their lives," says Alan Mintz, M.D., a vascular surgeon at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, CA. It’s quite common to see women in their 30s, 20s, and even teens with a few, he adds. [Tweet this fact!]

Known scientifically as telangiectasias, spider veins are the more common little cousin of varicose veins, Mintz says. While varicose veins are dilated, ropey-looking veins under the skin and can be quite painful, spider veins are the result of enlarged venules, or very small veins, in the skin and are typically painless.

Aging is just one of a host of risk factors for spider veins, which can also form due to pregnancy, genetics, sun damage, obesity, varicose veins, and topical or oral steroid use. Women who workout vigorously or stand for long periods of time are also at an increased risk says Eugene Elliot, M.D., a plastic surgeon at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. "Anything that puts stress on your vascular system can cause spider veins, as the extra pressure inside your veins can cause them to bulge and expand," he explains.

Image source: shape.com

Luckily there are generally no health risks associated with spider veins on the legs and face, so don’t stop those high-intensity interval training sessions yet! However, if you spot multiple patches on your trunk or arms, make an appointment to see your doctor, as a few rare but risky genetic conditions could be to blame.

There’s no reason to remove benign spider veins, though they won't go away on their own and may worsen over time thanks to already-weakened walls, Mintz says. If you’re significantly bothered by their appearance, there are three main treatment options:

1. Makeup or self-tanner. Since having thin or light skin makes the veins more apparent, covering them up is the cheapest and easiest option. Mintz cautions against real tanning because while it can help mask the lines, the sun damage will only make you susceptible to getting more of them.

2. Laser therapy. In this procedure, a laser beam set to the same wavelength as your blood cells is targeted at your skin. The laser damages the blood vessels, causing them to clot, dry up, and eventually get reabsorbed into your tissue. This is the more conservative and less invasive medical treatment option, and is therefore usually the first choice for treating smaller spider veins, Elliot says. For very small spider veins on the face, cauterization is also an option.

3. Sclerotherapy. Usually the second choice because it’s more invasive, a doctor injects a liquid (most often hypertonic saline) into the veins for this treatment. The effect is the same as with laser therapy, but if your veins are larger or you have varicose veins with the spider veins, sclerotherapy is more effective, Elliot says.

If you opt for either therapy treatment, be sure your doctor is board-certified in plastic surgery and experienced in your chosen technique. Both laser therapy and sclerotherapy are outpatient procedures with a very short recovery time; Mintz says most patients are back to full activity within 24 hours. The few risks associated with the procedures are rare: Any skin ulcerations or brownish spots should clear up on their own, but a cluster of smaller spider veins or—in the case of laser therapy—depigmentation (an unnatural lightening of the skin) is permanent.

Costs vary depending on the size of the veins, the amount of area they cover, and the number of treatments required. You can expect to pay between $200 and $500 per session with an average of two to four sessions required, and many doctors offer a discount for multiple sessions. Since the procedures are generally considered cosmetic, most insurance companies won’t cover anything.

Remember too that no treatment is totally permanent, and you’ll likely get more spider veins, as they're simply part of life, Elliot adds. While you can do small things such as wearing sunscreen, avoiding standing on your feet for long periods, and donning support stockings, eventually nearly everyone will get some. Consider them beauty marks.

While typically harmless, spider veins could indicate problems beyond mere aesthetic concerns. Seeking medical advice from doctors like Raymond Little of the Vein Institute and Medispa could spot or rule out health-related causes. Visit this website for more details on spider and varicose vein treatments.

REPOST: New varicose vein treatment gets U.S. approval

The FDA recently gave its approval to British pharmaceutical company BTG to launch Varithena, minimally-invasive treatment for varicose veins, in the US. New York Daily News has the details.

Varicose veins, which afflict many men and women as they age, can be painful as well as unsightly for some. | Image source: Media for Medical/UIG via Getty Images via NYDailyNews.com

Lovers of short skirts, rejoice: A new treatment for varicose veins has been approved in the U.S., its maker says.

British pharmaceutical firm BTG announced this week that its treatment, Varithena — previously known as Varisolve — has been given Food and Drug Administration approval.

Varithena uses an injectible foam to dissolve veins as an alternative to surgical removal, Reuters reported.

Speaking to Reuters on Tuesday, the company's chief executive Louise Makin said the product would set a new standard for the treatment of both the symptoms and appearance of varicose veins.

"We look forward to the commercial U.S. launch in the second quarter of 2014, and to continuing to advance our plans to expand use into other geographies and into non-symptomatic veins," she said.

Varicose veins — the twisted, enlarged and sometimes painful veins near the surface of skin that typically form on legs and feet — can show up with age, because of genetic disposition, or due to other factors like obesity, pregnancy, or having to stand for long periods of time. They affect more than 30 million adults aged 18 to 70 in the U.S., with women twice as likely as men to develop the condition.

Current treatments include surgically stripping or closing the vein using laser or heat treatments.

BTG said Varithena was minimally invasive and avoided the need for surgery and sedation, Reuters reported. The company's guidance for the product focuses on the medical market, but analysts told the news agency that cosmetic use could also present a "significant opportunity."

The company had worked for 10 years to obtain FDA approval.

With News Wire Services

Dr. Raymond Little has years of experience treating varicose veins as founder and CEO of The Vein Institute and MediSpa. Visit this site for more about advancements in vascular therapy.

Vascular diseases in children

Many people may not be aware that children can also suffer from vascular disease. Hence, families should learn about its various types so that they may recognize the symptoms and deal with the illness as early as possible. Listed below are some types of pediatric vascular diseases.

Image Source: www.clevelandclinic.org

Collagen vascular diseases manifest in the joints, blood vessels, and skin. Vital organs may also be affected by these disorders. One of the most common types is lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation. Symptoms include photosensitivity, abnormal heart rhythms, and butterfly rashes. Another type is dermatomyositis, which causes red skin rashes in addition to muscle weakness and difficulty swallowing.

Blood clotting disorders may also occur in early childhood. Two common conditions are hemophilia and thrombophilia. The main difference between the two is that children (and adults) with hemophilia have trouble controlling bleeding, while those with thrombophilia are prone to blood clotting. A common treatment for the former is clotting factor replacement therapy, while treatment for the latter depends on the severity. Some children may even be treated with a low dose of aspirin.

Image Source: www.blogspot.com

Kawasaki disease is an autoimmune disease commonly seen in those under the age of five. Blood vessels, skin, and lymph nodes are generally affected by this disease, but in some rare cases, it can also cause fatal aneurysms if left untreated. Symptoms include strawberry tongue, high fever, and conjunctivitis. Its cause is still largely unknown, but the sick child should be treated at the hospital as soon as possible to lessen the risk of heart disease.

Image Source: www.123tagged.com

These are just a few examples of pediatric vascular diseases. The information above may prove useful for parents who are worried that their children may have some symptoms of disorders relating to the heart, blood vessels, and veins. Parents or caregivers who suspect that a child might have any of the conditions above should consult a vascular medicine specialist to receive more in-depth information about the illness.  

Dr. Raymond Little is committed to the accurate diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases in people of all ages. Visit this website to learn more about Dr. Little and his practice.

REPOST: Most Statin-Intolerant Patients Can Eventually Tolerate Statins

For those suffering from high cholesterol, Statin is their first line of defense from cardiovascular disease. Having patients with Statin intolerance then is a cause of great concern for doctors treating high cholesterol. Sciencedaily.com reports on a new study that says statin tolerance can be learned by a patient's system overtime.

image source: www.echiropractor.org

 Sep. 9, 2013 — Most patients who report statin intolerance, including muscle aches and other side effects from the cholesterol-lowering drugs, can actually tolerate drugs from this class on subsequent trials, according to research from Cleveland Clinic recently released online and forthcoming in the September issue of the American Heart Journal. The study is the largest ever to examine the effects of re-challenging statin-intolerant patients.

Statins are among the most prescribed drugs in the world and are a first-line, highly effective therapy for patients with high cholesterol, which is a major risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. Statins have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by as much as 20 to 40 percent at the lowest dose level.

image source: flipper.diff.org

However, in clinical trials, about 5 to 10 percent of patients have been reported as suffering from statin-related side effects like muscle pain and liver enzyme abnormalities, making them statin intolerant. In observational studies -- which often incorporate patients not typically selected for clinical trials, including older patients, more women, and those with comorbidities -- the rate of statin intolerance is as high as 20 percent.

image source: http://alldiseasesknown.blogspot.com

In these patients, physicians often try intermittent dosing of statins, instructing patients to take the medication every other day, for instance, instead of daily, to reduce side effects.
Researchers, led by Leslie Cho, M.D., Section Head of Preventative Cardiology and Rehabilitation in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic, analyzed the electronic medical records of 1,605 patients who were referred to Cleveland Clinic for statin intolerance between January 1995 and March 2010.
Dr. Cho and her colleagues found that 72.5 percent of patients who were previously reported to be intolerant to two or more statins were able to take drugs from the class on subsequent trials when they were overseen in Cleveland Clinic's preventative cardiology clinic and had their statin regimen carefully restarted. Further, 63.2 percent of previously statin-intolerant patients were able to tolerate a daily statin regimen, with only 9.3 percent going on intermittent statin therapy. While those patients who remained on a daily dose of statin saw their cholesterol lowered to a greater extent than those on intermittent statin dosing, Dr. Cho and her colleagues found that the intermittent group did benefit significantly from the statin therapy.
"Our study shows that patients who have experienced statin intolerance should, under the close care of their physician, continue to try other drugs in this class because there is a very good chance that they will eventually be able to tolerate long-term use of a statin and benefit from its cholesterol-lowering effects," said Dr, Cho. "Even if patients cannot tolerate a daily dose of a statin, it's possible to see a significant reduction in cholesterol levels from taking the drug less often, even as infrequently as once a week."
Still, Dr. Cho points out that, given how widely statins are prescribed, it's important to note that almost 30 percent of the patients in the study remained statin intolerant and required alternative therapies to treat their high cholesterol.

Dr. Raymond Little founded the The Vein Institute and MediSpa. Go to this blog for similar articles  

Former US Olympian stands tall against varicose veins

Image Source: cf2.foodista.com

Only ten percent of those afflicted with varicose veins have them treated. A known member of this small population is 41-year-old Summer Sanders, a former US Olympian and gold medalist. A woman like her—life-long athlete, former Olympic swimmer, TV show host, sports commentator, and a mom of two—has her to-do list filled with activities that have her on her feet. But even a celebrity like her is not exempt from having chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) or varicose veins. Celebrity women, despite their access to medical treatments, are just as susceptible as other women to varicose veins.

Image source: www.repacted.org

When Sanders realized she was constantly in pain and feeling more fatigued in her legs, she immediately sought a vein specialist. She learned that her condition may have been caused by the weight she carried during her pregnancy, always being on her feet, or simple genetics. Most people think that varicose veins are related to age. This is a false assumption, as women as young as Sanders, and even younger, could have them.

Image Source: mms.businesswire.com

Varicose veins are degenerative, but according to Sanders, this should not always be the case. There have been developments in their treatment. Sanders Rethink Varicose Veins, a campaign aiming to educate people about  more serious health implications, was started by the Society for Vascular Surgery, American Venous Forum, and the American College of Phlebology.


Dr. Raymond Little specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins and spider veins using sclerotherapy, surgical vein stripping, and other advanced techniques. Learn more about varicose vein treatments on this twitter page.

REPOST: Little girl copes with rare vascular disease

Condition can cause pain, disfigurement
 
In his report, Andrew Akers talks about venous malformation, a rare vascular disease, and how a 14-month-old girl suffers from it. 

Abigail Haynes celebrated her first birthday May 7, the same day she met the doctor who is trying to give her a normal life.

While most children see doctors for check-ups and vaccinations, the 14-month-old girl sees them for MRIs and painful procedures to treat a rare vascular disease.

She was born with venous malformations. Caused by unusually thin vein walls, her veins tend to grow into lesions that can cause pain, disfigurement and possibly inhibit normal bodily functions such as eating or breathing.

Abigail has three malformations — on her lip, cheek and the back of her tongue — that could grow and spread to other areas.

“When she was born, she had a blue mark on her left cheek and they said it was probably just a bruise,” said Jessica Haynes, Abigail’s mother. “When it didn’t go away after a few weeks, they said it was a birthmark.”

After another mark appeared on the back of Abigail’s head, her pediatrician sent her to the Emory University Hospital. Doctors there assured Haynes they were benign blemishes called hemangiomas, which are common to infants and usually dissapear by age 10, and there was nothing to be concerned about. However, the mark later led to the discovery of her venous malformations.

“I accepted what the doctors said, but I never quite felt right about it,” the mother of two said.

In March, Haynes noticed Abigail was having trouble taking her bottle.

“She was tugging at her cheek and just kept crying like it was hurting her,” Haynes said. “I looked at it and the mark had gotten larger.”

Haynes called doctors at Emory who advised her to bring Abigail in immediately. After an MRI and seven doctors conferring for more than two weeks, Abigail was diagnosed with venous malformations, a rare vascular anomaly.

“If not taken care of, controlled and treated, they continue to grow throughout her entire life,” Haynes said. “Doing some of the research on my own, it was disturbing to see the pictures of what it could turn into.”

Doctors at Emory explained they could remove Abigail’s masses as they formed and try sclerotherapy, a process of introducing irritants to a varicose vein to shrink it. But Abigail’s masses were currently inoperable, Haynes said.

“When you hear that from some of the best doctors out there, it is very upsetting,” she said.

Through her own research and a recommendation from a family member, Haynes and her husband Travis found Dr. Milton Waner, a world authority on vascular malformations, according to the Vascular Birthmark Institute of New York.

“He told me that he could cure her, but that he didn’t know how many procedures it would require,” Haynes said.

Waner proposed he use laser treatments to collapse the malformed veins, a method that he has extenisve experience with.

After two procedures, the malformations on Abigails tongue and cheek are responding to treatment. She has a more invasive procedure scheduled for Aug. 15, in which doctors will surgically remove the unresponsive malformation located on her lip.

While the Hayneses watch their youngest daughter undergo medical procedures, its effectiveness is not the only worry on their mind. The couple is also burdened by the treatment’s cost. Milton’s practice is in New York City and does not accept Haynes’ insurance.

“It’s been a battle with insurance,” Jessica Haynes said. “We did get the insurance company to acknowledge that they did not have an in-network provider capable of treating her, which was a large hurdle. …

“... They did say that they would process it to our in-network benefits. However, because he is not contracted with them, that means that we can be billed above and beyond.”

Abigail’s first procedure took place May 8 and cost $11,200. Only $300 was covered by insurance.

On top of medical bills, each trip to New York City costs approximately $1000 even though Haynes stays at the Ronald McDonald House.

“When it’s your kid, you do what you have to do,” Haynes said.

Therefore, the family has established a donation fund for Abigail at Wells Fargo bank, at 312 E. Main St., in Dahlonega. Checks must be made out to the “Abigail Haynes Donation Fund.” Donations can also be made electronically via Abigail’s Facebook page.

All excess proceeds from the fund will be donated to the Waner Children’s Vascular Anomaly Foundation in honor of Abigail. The foundation provides financial assistance to children suffering from vascular anomalies, funds research to understand and treat these anomalies, and supports efforts to educate the medical community on vascular malformations.

Readers can also keep up with Abigail’s treatment through her Facebook page.

Dr. Raymond Little stays at the forefront of the fight against illnesses like venous malformation. Keep up with the recent strides on the treatment and prevention of vascular diseases by visiting this website.

The flapper’s varicose veins-free legs

The charm of the roaring ‘20s will never be complete without women in bobbed hair, fox-trotting their velvety, flawless legs on the dance floor. Yes, the legs, which were either clad in hosieries or naked under the knee-length skirts, became the icon of this almost-forgotten decade.

Image Source: historyiselementary.blogspot.com

As fashion regresses, designers borrow ideas from the lost years to come up with a new trend. This time, with the resurrection of ‘20s fashion, many women have noticed that a ‘20s ensemble is incomplete without a flapper’s signature legs – smooth legs that evoke desire, charm, and beauty.

The release of the movie The Great Gatsby has reminded viewers of the glamour that enveloped the roaring ‘20s, and women wanted to copy the look of Daisy and the other female characters in the movie. And as the fashion and beauty industry dictates, legs that aren’t as smooth as that of the flappers are an awful addition to pleats and billows of flapper skirts or tap pants. And flawless legs should be varicose veins-free.

Image Source: style.uk.msn.com

The good thing is that achieving the flapper’s legs isn’t really that hard today. The perfect legs are very achievable with the help of advanced medical treatments and technology. Dr. Raymond Little of The Vein Institute and MediSpa and Dr. John Mauriello of The Cardiovascular and Vein Center of Florida offer varicose vein treatments that can transform even tedious work-stricken legs into gams that can turn the head of a man like Jay Gatsby.

Image Source: sltrib.com

This Facebook page offers more information on vein disease, treatment, and care.