Published on 10 August 2026
In March 2026, Sarah came to Benenden Hospital to undergo Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT) after experiencing increasing discomfort from varicose veins for more than 20 years.
As a nurse, Sarah spends much of her day on her feet, causing the affected veins to become more uncomfortable over time, so Sarah decided to explore the treatment options available to her.
Sarah said, “I feel much more confident and wish I’d had it done a long time ago. I’d put up with the discomfort for 20 years.”
How were your varicose veins impacting your daily routine?
“As a nurse in an NHS hospital, I’m often working 13-hour shifts, so varicose veins really affected my life. We’re always on our feet, hardly ever sitting down. So even though I was wearing the lovely stockings that you wear to help ease the discomfort, it was still becoming more uncomfortable as time went by.”
What prompted you to choose Benenden Hospital for the treatment?
“To be honest, the treatment was a no-brainer for me. I’m a healthcare professional and know that Benenden Hospital does things well, and has confident people who know exactly what they’re doing.”
What was your experience of the staff at Benenden Hospital?
“I saw Mr Aaron Sweeney who’s very good - very professional. He put me at ease straight away. I had a private room, a few little tests before, and everything just flowed really well.
“They gave me an anaesthetic. Again, the anaesthetist was very good, put me at ease straight away, telling me he would look after me. He understood that I was nervous.”
What was the post-procedure support and recovery like?
“I think you just always have the worry that you’ll get a deep vein thrombosis, or you’ll have a lot of pain after the procedure, but the truth is I actually didn’t have any pain at all. Maybe just slight discomfort, but no pain. I didn’t even need paracetamol after.
“For a few weeks after you do get quite a lot of bruising and you’ve got the bandages on for five days as well, but the leaflet details exactly what aftercare you’ve got to do. You can still have showers - you can even get waterproof dressings and just put them over the bandages. Not very glam, but there you go! Then, I just needed to walk a bit and put my legs up all the time.
“The staff are extremely friendly, put you at ease, and give you the confidence that you want to have, so it’s very nice, very good.”
Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT)
EVLT is a minimally invasive laser treatment for painful or unsightly varicose veins. Approximately 85% of patients with varicose veins are suitable for EVLT. This treatment typically takes about 30-40 minutes, quickly removing varicose veins while minimising pain and recovery time, so you can return home the same day.
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Varicose vein treatment at Benenden Hospital
You’re in highly experienced hands at Benenden Hospital, where we’ve successfully carried out more than 8,000 varicose vein procedures.
If you're funding your own treatment (self-paying patients and Benenden Health members) it couldn't be easier to book your initial consultation - just use our online booking tool.
If you have private medical insurance, please check with your provider to see if you’re covered before booking a consultation.
If you need more information on our varicose vein treatments, complete our online enquiry form, contact us using Livechat or call our Private Patient Team on 01580 363158.