RFA is a walk-in-walk-out procedure that is performed under local anaesthetic and takes less than an hour. It uses radiofrequency energy to heat the vein’s wall so that it collapses, closes and seals up. Your body will eventually absorb the treated vein causing it to disappear, and the treated veins will disappear. Before the procedure, our award-winning vascular consultants will explain the treatment to you and ask you to sign a consent form. You will first have an ultrasound scan to identify the veins requiring treatment. Then, under local anaesthetic and guided by ultrasound for precision, a thin plastic tube is inserted into the vein. A fine wire with the heating element at its tip is passed through the plastic tube. Once all veins have been treated, the fine wire and tube are removed.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends RFA as the first line of treatment for varicose veins. When used in conjunction with UGFS (if required), it has several advantages over alternative treatments, including: Leaves minimal scarring, bruising and swelling; Less invasive than surgery, with significantly faster recovery times; Walk-in-walk-out procedure; Less painful and more convenient than endovenous laser ablation (EVLA).

In most cases, you can return home and to your normal daily activities (including work) immediately after treatment. Your varicose veins symptoms should improve very quickly and the cosmetic results may take several months while the body heals the veins. Other than wearing compression hosiery for around three weeks, no other aftercare is required. However, there are some additional post-treatment considerations like travel, driving and exercise which we explore in this article.

You may notice an improvement in symptoms almost immediately after RFA treatment for varicose veins. However, the full cosmetic results may take several months to become apparent.

We offer a fixed-price package to treat your varicose veins, which includes consultation, scans, treatment, stockings, and follow-up.