:eek: Has anyone out there had their varicose veins removed via laser surgery? I have an appt next week with the doctor to get pre-certified by the insurance company to have this procedure done. The doc tells me that it does not hurt, but for some reason, I have a hard time believing a small incision on the side of my leg and a laser going into the leg doesn't hurt.

Any advice and/or suggestions are appreciated!

I just had both of my legs done, laser treatment of the saphenous veins (inside of upper thigh) and ambulatory phlebectomy's on the varicose veins in my calves. The numbing process is probably the most painful part, but isn't bad. If you can take a needle in your leg, you'll be fine. Afterwards, my legs were a little sore for about a week, but the actual process doesn't hurt. It's more annoying that you have to lay there than painful. I said to my doc that I would take that over a trip to the dentist anyday. hahaha. hope that helps some. Ok now here's my question...is it normal to have discoloration where the vein was afterwards and if so for how long? The leg I got done in June still has an outline of the vein, but it doesn't bulge anymore and doesn't look half as bad. The other one I just got done July 31st and still have some bruising so it's hard to tell. I am just wondering if my legs will ever look great, or just better than they did.

Discoloration is normal. The one vein I did, via an injection, is still a faint brown, in color, and that was done almost a year ago. I'll probably have it retreated, though it has slowly faded over time.

How do you get vericose vein treatment/surgery covered by insurance? I have found it to be sooooo difficult, as they see them as "cosmetic" I can see spider veins cosmetic.............but vericose veins are both ugly and painful!

What area are you from? I can recommend someone in PA that I can almost guarantee will get it covered. I'm not exactly sure how but I didn't want to question it. I got the doctor's name from someone my mom knew that got hers done by him. I didn't think it would be covered but it was. I have heard of discoloration after sclerotherapy, but I had an ambulatory phlebectomy in which they they actually remove the vein and it is still discolored there. I did go to the beach for two weeks after two weeks after i got it done, so I guess it could be from the tanning. But the other leg is still a little discolored too and I didn't get sun on that one. Who knows? I go for my post op on monday, so I will see what he says and let you guys know. Hopefully the discoloration will go away by next summer so I can feel good about showing my legs for once. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Ok so I went for my post op on monday and the doctor said the discoloration from the phlebectomy (removal of the veins) will fade with time, which I don't know if I completely believe. They may get lighter, but I don't know if it will ever completely go away. Anyway, I just had one leg done in June and one in July. Since the phlebectomy I have a new vein on the outside of my right leg by my knee. Right now it is barely varicose (just bulges a little bit, but hardly noticable). I am very upset about this...that I'm going to have to get another phlebectomy after I wasn't super impressed with the results from the 1st 2. I would say the veins that were treated look 60% better and I was hoping for 100%. Maybe my expectations were just too high. Has anyone else experienced this same problem? If so, I would like to hear about it.