Vein Doctor Palo Alto

If you are looking for a vein doctor near Palo Alto, you have a great option. Dr. Malvehy is the top rated vein doctor in California and has an office located near Palo Alto in Pleasanton, right near Stoneridge Mall.

One of the few physicians in the country who devotes his practice exclusively to vein disease, Dr. Malvehy performs over 500 major vein treatments and 1,000 sclerotherapy treatments every year. He has been consistently rated 5-stars on Google, Yelp!, and other patient platforms for years.

“We see patients from all over the West Coast, people with really challenging problems who are looking for a second or third opinion or who have failed surgery or treatment or have been told to just live with it…it makes me really happy that we can help people who thought they had no other options and their problems were hopeless. It’s a big part of the reason why I am so dedicated to what I do; I want to be able to deliver for people.”

Dr. Malvehy is certified by the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine, one of less than 700 physicians in the US and Canada who have earned this rigorous certification requiring years of education, experience, and expertise. Dr. Malvehy performs his own ultrasound examinations on all patients during their first visit and is certified in ultrasound both as an RVT, Registered Vascular Technologist, and RPhS, Registered Phlebology Sonographer.

Dr. Malvehy was a Medical Scholar at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine before earning his MD in 2000. He began his clinical career in the Duke University Health System before earning his MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

“Dr. Malvehy changed my life. I was suffering for more than 30 years and I am now able to wear shorts and I am pain-free from my bulging veins. I truly recommend a visit to Dr. M if you are having issues with your veins, you will not be disappointed. The procedure was non-invasive, recovery time was minimum, and the results are spectacular! I was able to drive home and just needed to wear compression socks for a week. His staff is kind & professional. I am extremely pleased with my results and highly recommend Dr. Malvehy. I truly thank Dr. M and his staff for helping me!”

– Gabriel G., Verified Patient Review

Sclerotherapy in Palo Alto

Our office offers comprehensive spider vein treatment including sclerotherapy. Dr. Malvehy offers advanced sclerotherapy techniques including ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and foam sclerotherapy. Dr. Malvehy has performed thousands of sclerotherapy treatments, has published scientific literature on the topic, and has taught national courses for specialists seeking to learn it.  

Sclerotherapy is the process of injecting a medication into a vein in order to “sclerose” or close the vein. While many practices use salt water or saline for injections, Dr. Malvehy exclusively uses Asclera, the only brand-name FDA approved medication for sclerotherapy. Besides reduced pain when compared to older, saline solution, treatment with Asclera offers more consistent results.

Varicose Vein Treatment in Palo Alto

Varicose vein treatment is customized by Dr. Malvehy during the initial consultation and may include a combination of laser vein treatment (also called EndoVenous Laser Ablation or EVLA), ultrasound guided foam chemical ablation, and minimally invasive varicose vein removal.

Current varicose vein treatments are all performed in the office using only local anesthesia. Patients can drive themselves to and from their treatment visit and have little to no downtime afterwards. Depending on the size, location, and nature of your particular varicose veins, Dr. Malvehy may be able to perform most or all of your treatment in a single visit. For patients living in Palo Alto seeking varicose vein treatment, this is a real advantage since it limits the number of trips to the doctor necessary to treat the issue.

Laser Vein Treatment in Palo Alto

Dr. Malvehy performs over 500 laser vein treatments every year for a variety of different conditions and seeks to make the process as comfortable for patients as possible, anticipating points of discomfort and mitigating them before the fact. Treatment typically takes 30-45 minutes and may be combined with minimally invasive varicose vein removal and sclerotherapy as part of your customized treatment plan. Using ultrasound guidance, local anesthetic is delivered around the target vein. A laser fiber optic is then inserted into the target vein and the vein is treated. The entire procedure is performed without making incisions in the skin and results in no scarring.  Patients can drive themselves home after treatment and may immediately resume normal activity. Dr. Malvehy may ask you to wear a compression stocking for 5-7 days depending on the size and location of the vein being treated.

Laser vein treatment is covered by most commercial insurance and Medicare for patients with pain, swelling, or venous ulcers. For patients with Kaiser Permanente insurance seeking laser varicose vein treatment, preferred pricing is available.

Facial Vein Treatment in Palo Alto

Facial vein treatments include liquid or foam sclerotherapy or thermocoagulation using VeinWave. All treatments are performed after application of a topical anesthetic cream in order to make them as comfortable as possible. Sclerotherapy is used for larger red or blue veins and involves an injection of a small amount of solution into the veins to cause them to collapse; they generally disappear in 2-4 weeks though there can be incremental improvement later. VeinWave is a thermocoagulation device that delivers a small pulse of energy using a “bristle” needle tip. Veins typically disappear instantly. Both treatments may have 1-2 hours of redness or swelling in treated areas. 1-2 treatments are usually adequate for most people.

Hand Vein Treatment in Palo Alto

Handscaping™ hand vein removal is a safe, effective, and permanent solution to the problem of bulging hands veins. Bulging or thick veins on the back of the hand can make hands appear aged or masculine. While many offices offer injections of fat and fillers to temporarily obscure these unsightly veins, Dr. Malvehy is one of the pioneers in offering Handscaping™, a better hand vein treatment that focuses on the underlying problem, the bulging hand veins themselves. Patients often travel to Dr. Malvehy from Palo Alto for hand vein removal because he is one of the few physicians who have experience with bulging hand veins.

Results from this innovative hand vein treatment are:
* Immediate
* Dramatic
* Permanent

Handscaping™ is a customized treatment where bulging hand veins are removed through a pinprick incisions sized 1 mm or less. The procedure is totally safe, takes about 20 minutes per hand, and  pretty much painless.

Venous Ulcer Treatment in Palo Alto

Venous ulcers or leg ulcers are typically found in the lower leg or ankle, also called the gaiter area. Over 80% of wounds of the lower leg and ankles are due primarily to vein disease. These venous ulcers usually follow a period of discoloration of the skin and can be quite painful. Often, treatment is focused on the overlying skin disruption – local creams, antibiotics, bandages and skin grafts. Without treating the underlying vascular disease, however, these ulcers tend to persist or recur.

Dr. Malvehy is one of only a few physicians in the United States who performs ultrasound guided foam chemical ablation directed at treating chronic wounds, so patients come from Palo Alto to see him regularly.

Dr. Malvehy identifies the underlying cause of the ulcer or wound using ultrasound and then creates a customized venous ulcer treatment plan focused on that issue. In wounds less than a year old, treating the underlying vein and circulatory issues usually results in spontaneous healing. Wounds older than one year may require supplemental skin treatment.

Insurance for Varicose Vein Treatment in Palo Alto

Treatment for varicose veins, venous insufficiency, and venous ulcers is covered by most commercial insurance plans – like United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, and Anthem Blue Cross –  and government insurance programs like Medicare and Medi-Cal but insurance companies like United Healthcare typically want to make sure that you are not seeking varicose vein treatment simply for cosmetic purposes. No insurance covers cosmetic sclerotherapy for spider veins. Insurers want to ensure that you do have real varicose veins and a situation where the circulation is causing you some sort of symptom or problem with your skin or legs. Even if you don’t have visible varicose veins and have totally normal appearing legs, you may still have symptoms of vein disease caused by venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency is the root cause of varicose veins, a condition where blood flows backwards in the vein (also called reflux) and pools in the lower legs instead of circulating effectively back to the heart. Because patients come to our office from Palo Alto for varicose vein treatment regularly, we try to minimize the number of visits and pre-authorize your treatment in advance to reduce your travel time.

Symptoms associated with varicose veins and venous insufficiency are usually worse with prolonged standing and at the end of the day. It is very common to hear from patients that pain in the legs or leg cramps interrupt sleep. One of the things that needs to be documented for varicose vein treatment to be covered by insurance is that the patient’s symptoms need to be clearly documented including whether they have pain and, if so, where that pain is. The pain is often described not as a focal pain but as discomfort like heaviness or aching. This can sometimes be severe.

Each insurance company has specific requirements (and they are all different!) for covering varicose vein treatment including some ultrasound requirements like the size of the veins and how much backwards flow, or reflux, there is. As part of your initial evaluation, Dr. Malvehy will perform a detailed ultrasound examination to identify and document the source of your varicose veins and venous insufficiency. This is then provided in documentation to your insurance company to support pre-authorization for treatment.

We regularly work with insurance companies to get pre-approval for patients seeking varicose vein treatment so we understand the different requirements that each insurance company has.

Patients coming from Palo Alto should cross the Dumbarton Bridge (CA-84) and then head north on I-880 until the interchange with I-580. Head east on I-580 and take the Foothill Road exit immediately before I-680. Stoneridge Mall Road will be on the right, a ring around Stoneridge Mall. We are in a 3 story black glass building that will be the second one on your left. It is 5700. There is plenty of free parking available.

Vein Doctor Near Me

East Bay Vein Specialists is the best vein treatment center in California. He is also a pioneer when it comes to minimally invasive treatments.

The philosophy at this vein clinic is simple. We know that you want the best solution for these issues. We also know that you want a permanent solution. You don’t want a lengthy recovery time. That’s why we use cutting edge techniques and look beyond the obvious cosmetic solutions.

Certified Vein Specialists

When you come in for a consultation, Dr. Malvehy will conduct a thorough examination. Based on his findings, he will come up with a customized treatment plan that addresses the symptom and the cause. As a board-certified specialist, Dr. Malvehy is able to cover the full spectrum of vein disorders.

Whether you need to treat varicose veins, venous insufficiency, or spider veins he is equipped to find the right solution.

Contact Information

East Bay Vein Specialists