Health

Treatment For Varicose Veins

Published

1 year ago

December 17, 2021

Varicose veins are discolored, enlarged veins that typically appear on the legs. While this condition is often hereditary, it can also be caused by pregnancy or obesity. Varicose veins can be uncomfortable, but there are steps that you can take to reduce your symptoms. Treatment for varicose veins can be done through physical therapy, vein stripping, and laser surgery. Many people with varicose veins develop the condition due to prolonged periods of standing. To prevent the appearance of varicose veins, it is essential to take breaks and elevate your legs often. While they do not pose any health risks, you may want to seek treatment for varicose veins for cosmetic reasons. Below are some of the common treatments offered by Upper East Side varicose veins specialists.

1. Sclerotherapy

For small spider veins that are causing discomfort, your doctor may recommend sclerotherapy. This treatment involves injecting a unique solution into the affected area. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel and causes it to collapse and fade away. A single injection lasts anywhere from three months to two years. There is a risk of infection and bruising, but the procedure is generally painless.

2. Compression Stockings

Compression stockings are elastic garments worn on the legs to improve symptoms associated with varicose veins. The ideal compression level can be determined by your doctor but typically ranges between 20 and 30 millimeters of mercury. Compression stockings work by reducing the diameter of veins, which increases blood flow speed throughout your body. It is essential to talk with your doctor about getting the proper sized stockings. If you try on the wrong size, it can worsen symptoms like swelling and pain. High heels should be avoided, as they increase pressure on varicose veins in your legs.

3. Laser Treatment

Although laser surgery is considered a last resort treatment for varicose veins, there are some benefits to this procedure. Laser surgery works by sealing the vein and removing excess blood from the area. This minimizes symptoms such as itching and swelling, but it can also create scar tissue in the process. If you have severe symptoms that reduce your quality of life, laser surgery may be the right treatment option for you.

4. Ambulatory Phlebectomy

An ambulatory phlebectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that can improve symptoms of varicose veins. During this treatment, your doctor will make small incisions in the affected area and remove the vein with a unique tool called a balloon embolectomy catheter (BEC). The BEC is inserted under high pressure to remove the vein, which causes minimal scarring and pain. Recovery time is quick, with many patients returning to work within a few days of their procedure.

5. Endoscopic Vein Treatment

There are several endoscopic vein treatment options available, but sclerotherapy is one of the most commonly recommended. This treatment involves injecting a unique solution into the affected area to remove the varicose vein. The procedure is minimally invasive and often performed in an ambulatory care center. Patients may experience pain or itching after the procedure, but this discomfort typically goes away quickly.

In summary, varicose veins are discolored, enlarged veins that typically appear on the legs. If you have this problem, you can benefit from various treatments, including sclerotherapy, compression stockings, ambulatory phlebectomy, and endoscopic vein treatment.

Health

Frontier Dental Lab’s Direct-to-Consumer Marketing Connects Dentists and Patients

Published

3 weeks ago

February 28, 2023

Michelle Langton

Dr. Caylin Frye, a cosmetic dentist at Mid-City Smiles in New Orleans, has worked in the dental industry for over two decades. In all that time, she has never had a dental lab bring a patient to her office door. However, that’s exactly what happened when Frontier Dental Lab Group connected her with Ignacia Soto-Aguilar.

The inspiration behind Frontier Dental Lab’s direct-to-consumer campaign

Gil Villavecer, Chief Marketing Officer at Frontier Dental Lab Group, was well aware of two key factors influencing Frontier’s marketing strategy. First, he knew his clients were dentists who tended to stick to traditional marketing methods as simple as word of mouth. Second, he knew that most people didn’t realize dental labs even existed. For these reasons, labs like Frontier have historically been absent from the direct-to-consumer marketing space.

“I like to be a trailblazer,” says Villavecer. “My lightbulb moment came when I realized that we have far more horsepower than the average dentist. After all, what dental office has a full-time marketing department? To better serve our dentists, I shifted our approach to a direct-to-consumer campaign.”

Villavecer’s first hurdle was introducing Frontier Dental Lab Group to a public that, up until that point, had been unaware of its existence. In general, dental labs have avoided digital marketing, but Villavecer knew the internet was the only way forward. So, Frontier uploaded educational clips to YouTube and fired up an Instagram account with a new mission to “Educate, Entertain, and Connect.”

Frontier Dental Lab’s DTC marketing in action

Frontier Dental Lab’s most innovative initiative is its Smile Simulations. Through this program, potential patients upload selfies to Frontier’s website and receive before and after pictures showing the possibilities of a smile makeover.

Soto-Aguilar first encountered Frontier Dental Lab through the Smile Simulation initiative and was blown away by her digital makeover. “The assessment was so quick and personal,” she remembers. “I received my before-and-after shots in an hour, and I couldn’t believe the amount of detail that Frontier put into it. That was my first insight into how much Frontier cares about its patients. They enabled me to visualize exactly how I would look with a new smile.”

Along with the Smile Simulation, Frontier Dental Lab sent a list of seven Trusted Frontier Dentists in Soto-Aguilar’s area who could make her simulation a reality. “We try to make research easy for people,” says Gil. “We believe that educated consumers are the best consumers.”

Frontier Dental Lab builds trust between dentists and patients

For convenience, Frontier linked each cosmetic dentist’s Instagram profile. When Soto-Aguilar clicked on Dr. Frye’s Instagram account, she felt an instant connection.

“Dr. Frye and I are both artists,” she explains. “I saw the care she put into her online presence and knew I would be in good hands. In this digital world, we put our work out there to show our clients what they can expect before we ever meet them. It’s visual and very intimate.”

Soto-Aguilar’s trust in Dr. Frye grew with every new piece of information she learned. She scanned through before and after shots of smiling patients and read a feature article about Dr. Frye dancing with her clients. Above all, she was struck by Dr. Frye’s honesty in describing her practice.

“I felt like I already knew her,” recalls Soto-Aguilar. “She wasn’t trying to sell anything to me. She was just talking about her passion for beautiful smiles.”

Within two days of uploading her selfie to Frontier Dental Lab’s Smile Simulation Center, Soto-Aguilar was talking with Dr. Frye in her office as if they had known each other for years. At that consultation, she scheduled an appointment for 20 veneers.

Dr. Frye says this is the most straightforward case she has closed in 21 years because of the foundation of trust established before the consultation. “Ignacia contacted me through the email from Frontier Dental Lab and was so excited that she even brought the smile simulation to our consultation. By the time we met, she trusted my work as a cosmetic dentist and Frontier’s work as a dental lab.”

In fact, Dr. Frye was so thrilled about the direct-to-consumer marketing that connected her to Soto-Aguilar that she shot a text to Villavecer that day: “Hey, Gil! Super cool story! A patient went through the smile simulation on your site, you sent her my info, and she’s coming in tomorrow. That’s the power of your marketing in the flesh!”

Villavecer counts that among the most exciting messages he has ever received. The only one he might enjoy more came days later from Soto-Aguilar. Along with pictures of her new smile, she texted: “Hi, Gil! You’ll love to see this! My smile is just how you imagined it!”

Currently, Frontier is focusing on harnessing the power of digital marketing to reach consumers. Its ground-breaking efforts to Educate, Entertain, and Connect potential patients prove that this marketing campaign is about much more than sales — it’s about building relationships and helping potential patients imagine the possibilities.