Spider Veins and Venacura
Written by Dallas Vein Specialists on July 5, 2011
It is difficult these days to listen to the radio without hearing about a product called Venacura. Venacura is a catchy name for a commercial product that is touted as an almost miraculous cure for spider veins of the legs. Review of the official website claims 30 years of research, and that the “key ingredient” is Diosmin. Among the several benefits of the product proclaimed on the website are “to quickly diminish ugly bulging veins and faint spider veins”, reduce “the appearance and discomfort associated with spider veins”, to provide “relief from swelling and inflammation of the legs”, reverse “chronic venous insufficiency (vein disorders)”, and give “relief from leg ulcers” and “hemorrhoids”. All this for just under $50 (plus shipping cost, insurance extra) for a one month supply of pills and an assurance of complete patient satisfaction or your money back. And then there is the radio advertisement that tells of a woman who had called her doctor to cancel her appointment for her spider vein treatment after discovering the benefits of Venacura.
Only one problem, the stuff does not work. If I were taken in by this hype and smart advertising (they must be making a fortune!), I would be out of my money and would still have my spider veins.
Maybe another month would do it though? When some Venacura clients have complained of no results after one month of taking pills, the company representative has reassured then that most people do not see substantial benefit until the second month of pill consumption.
I have attempted to find good clinical scientific studies that validate the claims made about Venacura. I am convinced there are no believable ones. There are a number of websites that attest to the efficacy of the product, but on close investigation most are owned by the Venacura company or are thinly veiled commercial sites that offer nothing to substantiate the claims. There are some reviews by users that claim their money went for no purpose since the product did nothing to help their spider or varicose veins.
Diosmin is a flavonoid, and some have claimed that flavonoids promote vein health. Results of clinical trials have been inconclusive. There is no evidence in my research that these compounds have the ability to remove existing spider or varicose veins. The company touts FDA approval for their Venacura, but FDA approval does not support any claims of efficacy, only that it is a safe dietary supplement.
At Dallas Vein Specialists I have treated thousands of spider vein and varicose vein patients over the years. I have seen the whole spectrum of varicose veins and spider veins. If there were a magical drug that removes spider veins, my vein specialist colleagues and I would have embraced it long ago. The standard for spider vein treatment remains sclerotherapy. This is the ONLY treatment that delivers consistent and safe removal of spider veins, and this treatment has stood the test of time. The modern minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins such as endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) and microphlebectomy have become the standard as well.
In summary, do not waste your money and time on something that does not work. Rely on the tried and true treatments for spider veins, varicose veins, and venous leg ulcerations – treatments that have been shown to be effective for thousands of patients in well done scientific studies.