FAQs

Elite Vein Specialists is a full-service diagnostic and treatment medical facility specializing in evaluating and managing all types of vein diseases. We treat large varicose veins, leg spider veins, and hand and breast veins.

Elite Vein Specialists has an office in Walnut Creek, California.

Our Address is:

675 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite B214
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 231-7590

All appointments are scheduled by calling our offices or filling out our Request a Consultation form on our website. No referrals are needed for our initial, complimentary consultation. For driving directions or a map click on our Scheduling and Directions link.

Dr. Nicholas H. Hyde, medical director of Elite Vein Specialists, is a phlebologist – a physician with a special interest and training in diagnosing and managing all types of venous disease. At Elite Vein Specialists all types of varicose veins and spiders are treated – from cosmetically important spider and breast veins to large painful varicose veins.

Specifically, we evaluate and treat:

• Varicose veins – large and small
• Leg spider veins
• Facial veins
• Breast Veins
• Hand Veins

*Using Dr. Hyde’s vast experience with needles and injection techniques, EVS is delighted to offer botox injections to diminish fine wrinkles. Please ask Dr. Hyde and his staff if you are interested in these services.

Elite Vein Specialists is a full-service, state-of-the-art medical facility offering advanced, outpatient treatment services for all types of varicose veins, leg spiders, and facial veins. We perform the following procedures and services:

• Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy – large varicose veins and wide-spread spiders
• ELVeS – cutting edge Endovenous Laser solution to large varicose veins originating high in the leg
• Ambulatory Phlebectomy
• Compression Therapy

Happily, the days of surgical stripping for large varicose veins are all but gone. Rarely now most patients endure hospitalization, undergo general anesthesia, experience considerable pain, or miss extended time from work or play because of surgery for varicose veins.

Now, because of advances in color-flow ultrasound imaging equipment and the development of newer and more complex sclerotherapy techniques as practiced at Elite Vein Specialists, physicians trained and skilled in performing a new procedure called “Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy” can successfully treat even extensive varicose veins right in their offices without surgery, without anesthesia, and with virtually no post-operative down time.

When seeking treatment for your vein problem, ask about “ultrasound guided sclerotherapy” if you have medium to large-sized varicose veins or widespread spider vein disease.

For patients with large varicose veins secondary to saphenofemoral junction (groin area) reflux, Elite Vein Specialists offers ELVeS, an outpatient local alternative to vein stripping and ligation. This has a greater than 98% success rate after a single treatment session.

Virtually any type of spider vein can now be treated with sclerotherapy, ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, and a combination of techniques depending on the type and severity of the existing problem. When patients come in for their initial consultation, they are advised on the best type of treatment for their own particular problem.

Developed over 40 years ago in Europe, sclerotherapy at Elite Vein Specialists utilizes only FDA-approved drugs to close undesired veins. It is a simple, nearly painless, vessel injection technique that causes vein closure. Veins most commonly treated are leg spider veins, blue-green veins (that often are the blood supply to nests of spider veins), and varicose veins.

Other successful areas for sclerotherapy include hands, breasts, and small spiders on the shoulders or back. A treatment session typically lasts 30 minutes after which stockings are applied and walking for 20-30 minutes occurs to complete the session. Patients often benefit if they also have leg fatigue or pain due to vein disease.

All diseased veins – from the most extensive varicose veins to the tiniest of spiders – are caused by abnormal blood leakage through faulty valves inside veins deep beneath the skin’s surface. Over time, this abnormal leakage of blood, also called reflux, causes veins visible on the skin surface to dilate and turn into diseased veins we call varicose veins and spiders. For sclerotherapy to be successful, the source of this venous reflux must be identified by the treating doctor and injected or treated with a sclerosing solution so the varicose vein caused by this leakage will disappear.

Often the source of reflux causing varicose veins and even spiders is much deeper than can be reached by injecting from the skin surface. Since conventional sclerotherapy is done right on the skin’s surface, regular sclerotherapy will not be effective in treating veins caused by such a source of reflux.

We also offer ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy. Ultrasound can see below the surface of the skin!

If abnormal veins deep under the skin can be visualized with the ultrasound machine, then Dr. Hyde can successfully guide a needle directly into the source of reflux and treat that source. The result is the complete disappearance of the varicose vein originating from that source.

Foam sclerotherapy is an emulsion of the same drug we use for conventional sclerotherapy. It appears to have a much more significant clinical effect on the inner wall of veins. It suffers less dilution from blood and perhaps displaces blood rather than simply mixing with it.

The results are positive, probably due to greater drug-vessel wall surface contact. This procedure provides outstanding results with less concentrated drug requirements. This often leads to faster results with fewer treatment sessions. Foam sclerotherapy works exceptionally well on larger vessels in conjunction with ultrasound-guided injections.

Many people are surprised by how inexpensive sclerotherapy is, especially if they have had other cosmetic procedures. Your actual cost will depend upon the number of treatment sessions required and the extent of your disease. A highly accurate quote estimate will be supplied at the end of your initial consultation. We accept cash, personal checks, bank debit cards, and major credit cards.

Regardless of the type of treatments needed, the number of treatment sessions varies depending upon the extent of vein disease, patient compliance with the post-treatment instructions, and types of veins present. People usually have a mixture of diseased veins, and each vein type requires a different treatment.

Spider veins usually require three to five treatments, more prominent reticular veins more, and large varicose veins even more. Improvement will be noticed after every treatment, and most people see a fairly good degree of improvement after just three to four treatments.

As with all cosmetic procedures, we look for improvement… not perfection. With patience and good compliance, sclerotherapy and laser can effectively improve the appearance and health of your legs and leg circulation.

Once a varicosity or spider vein has been adequately treated, that vein is gone forever and will not reappear. However, you can develop new varicosities and/or spider veins in other areas or even in previously treated areas.

Removal of true varicosities improves venous circulation by helping to restore average venous blood volumes and venous pressures. In general, removing spider veins minimizes overall circulation and may improve local venous circulation in the area treated.

Blood clots do occur in the superficial varicosities being treated by injection therapy. They occur when the vein is shut down during injection therapy, but they do not impose any health risks and resolve as the body absorbs the injected vein. These superficial blood clots should not be confused with much more dangerous blood clots which can occur for other reasons in the deeper veins in the legs.

This varies based on the severity of the disease being treated. Some individuals see results within a few weeks, but we caution most people not to expect their best cosmetic results for two to three months. In rare instances, it may take up to six months to achieve the best cosmetic result. Individuals treated for symptomatic varicosities will notice improvement in their symptoms within the first week or two following treatment.

Both varicosities and spider veins arise from previously normal veins that have become enlarged and dilated. The most common causes of vein enlargement are an inherited weakness in the vein wall and local injury.

In general, light exercise can be started approximately 72 hours following injection or light-based therapy treatment with the resumption of regular or even aggressive activity at one week.

There is minimal discomfort during treatment employing either of these therapies. Sclerotherapy is performed with tiny needles close to the diameter of a hair, and most individuals barely feel the injection at all. Many feel this sensation is much less painful than having your legs waxed.

Insurance will reimburse a percentage of the treatment cost if there is a documented venous insufficiency problem. If you have a medical problem and receive a positive result from a Doppler Duplex Ultrasound Scan, we can provide the diagnostic and procedure codes for pre-certification by your insurance company.

It is important to note that each insurance company reimburses different amounts for these treatments. We will work with you to ensure you receive the most reimbursement possible. We also accept cash, personal checks, bank debit cards, and major credit cards.