How We Treat Skin Pigmentation

The stages of vein disease

When blood returns to the heart from the body’s tissues, it has to fight the pull of gravity. To do that, the body uses two techniques. First, the muscles in your thighs and calves contract, forcing the blood upward. Second, the veins carrying the blood contain valves that snap shut once the blood has flowed past them, preventing backward movement.

However, if the vein walls weaken, it can damage the valves, which then can’t close completely. That allows the blood to move backward, pooling around the damaged valve. The result is what’s known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

If the superficial veins around the valves engorge with blood, they form colored, ropy protrusions known as varicose veins. These may be purely a cosmetic concern, or they can cause swelling, itching, and burning. More importantly, they can lead to clots in the deep veins, a potentially life-threatening condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

If you don’t treat varicose veins, you can develop painful edema (leg swelling). Failure to address the edema can lead to venous stasis dermatitis, the second cause of skin pigmentation, changing both the color and the appearance of the skin on your legs.

The discoloration starts with orange-brown spots that arise when the pressure from the edema causes small capillaries to burst. The discoloration may progress to brown or red around your lower legs and ankles. You may also notice:

• Shiny skin
• Thickened or scaly skin
• Dryness and itchiness

And if stasis dermatitis goes untreated, edema can lead to open sores called venous ulcers forming on the lower legs and the tops of the feet. These slow-healing ulcers may become infected and form scars once they’ve healed. For diabetics, venous ulcers are a leading cause of lower-limb amputation.

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy

In regular sclerotherapy, we inject a sclerosant (irritant) into the vein, which causes the vein to scar and collapse. Most sclerosing agents are liquids, making it difficult to achieve an even distribution within the veins.

Instead, Dr. Batra uses ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, which allows him to provide a more precise treatment. He first injects gas into the sclerosing agent, then injects the foam-sclerosant blend into the vein.

The gas serves as a marker, viewable with ultrasound imaging. That allows him to target the treatment area more precisely.

Microphlebectomy

When a varicose vein is close to the skin’s surface, microphlebectomy may be a good treatment option. Dr. Batra makes very small incisions (less than ¼-inch) and uses a hook to remove the veins in segments.

Are your legs and ankles painful and pigmented? You may have venous stasis dermatitis, requiring treatment from our team. Contact Texas Vascular Institute by calling 972-646-8346, or by scheduling your appointment online. We can help.