There are many doctors who claim to be vein specialists which make finding the right physician very difficult and a little confusing. Vascular surgeons are certainly qualified as are Vascular and Interventional Radiologists. Having trained with the inventors of vein ablation at Cornell, my training has given me a deep understanding of venous medicine. As Interventional Radiologists, we are image guided specialists and have been tried in all facets of venous medicine from deep venous care and recanalization to superficial venous disease. Our knowledge of ultrasound and anatomy that we have from years of radiology training is certainly bolstered by our Certificate of Added Qualification In Vascular and Interventional Radiology where we do extensive training in all aspects of vascular disease. I was lucky enough to be part of a comprehensive vein center throughout my training and really gained a lot of knowledge from the physicians who spearheaded many of these treatments including Robert Min and Neil Khilnani. Having said that, training is not the most important aspect of being a physician and you should go to someone you trust and that you have been referred to by a doctor that you trust. Always check the credentials, go see the physician, and make sure you are able to establish a trusting relationship with him or her. There are many physicians who can perform these procedures but I believe that Vascular Surgeons and Vascular and Interventional Radiologists are really have the best knowledge of all the nuances and the intricate vascular anatomy and pathology that can occur. Good luck in your quest.

Vein disease is a complex spectrum, ranging from cosmetic spider veins to pressure-overloaded deep veins causing the superficial veins to dilate and bulge. A good ultrasound exam of the veins, looking specifically for venous reflux can help identify what the severity of your vein disease is. Dermatologists may be very skilled at treating the small spider veins with sclerotherapy or laser, they usually do not perform ablation of refluxing saphenous veins or stenting of refluxing deep veins that are being compressed externally by other structures.

The "best" doctor for you is the one you feel most comfortable with, who can answer your questions simply and directly. Visit a few and make your decision after you have received several medical opinions.

The best doctor is one who's training including the evaluations d management of venous disease AND the use of ultrasound both diagnostically and for procedures. That describes interventional radiologist to a tee. That being said, I would agree that there are many vascular surgeons who have become very adept at using ultrasound for this disease.

Treatment of veins is a highly specialized medical field. The specialists who treat veins are called vascular surgeons. Though physicians in other specialties refer to themselves as vein specialists, vascular surgery is the only specialty recognized by the American Board of Specialties, in which the treatment of venous insufficiency is part of the established curriculum.

Vein stripping has been replaced by less invasive procedures such as closing veins with a laser. This new category of surgical procedures is referred to as “minimally invasive” and they have revolutionized the treatment of leg veins.

Although the procedures are less invasive, they are still surgical procedures and treatment of veins remains a surgical disease. Even with the advances in the understanding of treating veins, not all patients will benefit from this new technology. Assessing who will benefit from surgical procedures, and who will not, is a critical part of surgical training. It takes expert judgment to determine which patients are candidates for procedures, this why surgeons are best suited to manage vein disease.

Although it may seem logical that all doctors learn how to manage patient disease states during their training, this is not the case. Residencies such as radiology don’t actually involve admitting and taking care of patients. These specialists provide valuable services, by assisting the doctors who do take care of patients, by helping to interpret X-rays or lab data, but are not trained in patient care.

Cardiologists are trained in management of heart and arterial disease, but none of their training involves treatment of venous insufficiency.

Dermatologist are capable of treating spider veins, but their training does not involve vascular ultrasound, which is a requirement to treat venous insufficiency.

I would start by having a conversation with the doctor about what exactly is the physiologic problem with the venous system and how the proposed treatment will correct that. I would also request information about alternative treatments and does the provider offer those treatments as well. This should reveal how much the oractttioner actually knows about the problem and enable you to assess whether the treatment recommended will likely achieve the desired result.

I recommend asking your friends, as well as any doctors you know or see, who they recommend. Best wishes!

The treatment of varicose veins has become a subspecialty and your best treatment will be found with doctors who had performed more procedures and our certified to do the treatments. The American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Diseases has been certifying physicians who are interested in treating varicose veins and venous disease. Physicians associated with the American College of Phlebology take a special interested in the treatment of varicose veins. I would recommend choosing a physician with these certification's and or Board certification in vascular surgery or general surgery as being most qualified to do treatments. The certification shows a special interested in treating their patients with venous disorders. You would be better off being treated by someone that has a real heart for what he is doing. Usually referring doctors know who they are. Ask someone you can trust.

If you are looking for a great vein doctor, they come from all different specialties. I wrote a blog post about this which might be helpful here: http://www.miamibeachvein.com/best-vein-doctor-in-miami/

If you're looking for the best vein doctor in Miami, you can consider a few things: reviews, credentials and referrals. Dr. Malvehy is a top Miami vein specialist offering varicose vein treatment and spider vein treatment. For varicose vein treatment Miami patients often look to Dr. Malvehy because he offers minimally invasive treatments which are performed in an hour, right in the office. Regardless of why you are looking for the best vein doctor in Miami - spider vein treatment, varicose vein treatment or leg ulcer treatment - we have offices conveniently located in Miami Beach and Coral Gables.

Dr. Malvehy is a top rated vein doctor in Miami with 5 star reviews on Healthgrades, Vitals, Google and Yelp. Check out reviews for Dr. Malvehy on vitals.com here. Here is what one patient had to say about Dr. Malvehy,

"i had seen a vascular surgeon for my legs at the suggestion of my podiatrist a couple of years ago and was told there was nothing that could be done for the discoloration and swelling in my legs. My podiatrist told me about Dr. M (what he told me to call him) and his specialty practice recently and I just finished my treatment. From my first visit through my treatment, Dr. M was ere every step and explained to me what was wrong and how to fix it. I needed four treatments and they were absolutely painless. When I went for a follow up a couple of weeks later, I couldnt believe how much better I felt already. I just couldn't believe it. He is just a fantastic doctor and I feel so lucky to have found him."

For the best vein doctor in Miami, you can also look at where doctors go themselves. One local plastic surgeon left these comments regarding Dr. Malvehy:

Varicose veins of the legs are something of an "occupational hazard" for those of us surgeons who during surgery stand on concrete for hours at a time. And for me the thirty years as a plastic surgeon added up to my tremendously ugly and very uncomfortable varicose veins. I consulted several vein specialists before deciding on asking Dr. Malvehy for his help. With a short and absolutely pain-free procedure and with essentially no recovery period at all, I was back in surgery the next day. The leg looks and feels great! I can not recommend Dr. Malvehy and his wonderful staff highly enough; in fact, I frequently recommend him to my patients...

One final thing you can look at if you're looking for the best vein doctor in Miami is credentials. Dr. Malvehy is an RPHS certified ultrasound professional, demonstrating his commitment to excellence in vein disease diagnosis. He is also certified by the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine. Only 675 physicians in the US have attained this rigorous certification which demands extensive knowledge and experience in treating vein disease before qualifying for the challenging examination.

First of all you need to be sure the doctor is a dermatologist or vascular surgeon--not a "cosmetic surgeon" as there is no such specialty and the best way to find any type of doctor is to ask his patients. a doctor's reputation is earned and deserved. stay away from the yellow pages and advertised doctors