21 Oct 2020 / by Dr. Michael Bardwil / in News

Michael Bardwil Awarded as Best Vein Doctor in 2020 in Houston

Dr. Michael Bardwil Wins Top Honors in Living Magazine’s ‘Best of’ Readers’ Choice 2020 Awards

Michael Bardwil, MD, FACS, is no stranger to accolades. He is board-certified in vascular surgery and general surgery. He has received many awards throughout his career. Most recently, in August 2020, he was named as “Best of South Texas” in the category of vein doctor in Houston by Living Magazine’s Best of Reader’s Choice 2020 Awards.

Dr. Bardwil is the owner and founder of Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialists, with clinics in both Houston and Katy, Texas.

Table of Contents

About Living Magazine and the “Best Of” Award

Living Magazine, true to its name, is a magazine dedicated to living, working, and playing throughout the Lone Star State. It covers both North and South Texas, offering engaging articles and in-depth explorations of topics ranging from cuisine to aesthetics, homesteading to wellness, and much more. It boasts a South Texas audience of half a million people; the magazine reports that readers will spend on average 50 minutes reading each of the monthly editions.

The annual “Best Of” contest allows Living Magazine subscribers to cast a vote for their favorites in a wide range of categories. The magazine describes it as, “Each year, online voting is conducted on behalf of all the Living Magazine communities to determine which businesses YOU think are the very best in dining, retail, entertainment, healthcare, and home & garden in your community.” In this case, it was the readers from the Houston communities of Katy and Fulshear that voted for and bestowed this award upon Doctor Bardwil.

What Do Vein Doctors Do?

As a vein doctor, or vascular surgeon, Dr. Bardwil provides a wide range of treatments to his patients. Vascular surgery is a highly-specialized field and is recognized by the American Board of Specialties. However, surgery is just one of the ways that surgeons like Dr. Bardwil provide care and treatment for their patients.

Not all vein conditions require surgery. Even those that do may not require invasive treatments. Some of the more commonly vein conditions requiring treatment include the following:

Varicose veins
Spider veins
Venous ulcers
Bleeding veins
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

How Serious Is Vascular Surgery?

All surgical procedures should be considered “serious”. However, the level of risk involved with vascular surgery depends on many different factors. One of those factors is the condition for which the patient is seeking treatment. Another is the age of the patient. Yet another is the choice in procedure type – some conditions may require surgery in advanced cases but may be treatable with noninvasive options if caught early on in the condition’s development.

The good news for most patients is that new minimally invasive techniques have been pioneered that offer smaller incisions, reduced discomfort, shorter recovery times, and faster healing.

How Many Years Does It Take to Be a Vascular Surgeon?

Becoming a vascular surgeon currently requires four years of college, and after college completing four years of medical school, then a five-year residency period, and then an additional two years in a vascular surgery fellowship.

Dr. Bardwil attended and earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Texas. He then completed his internship and residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. He spent 3 ½ yrs as a Navy Surgeon, part of which he spent as a trauma surgeon during Desert Storm. After his tenure with the US Navy, he completed a vascular surgeon residency at Baylor College of Medicine.

What Does a Vascular Surgeon Look For?

Vascular surgery is the specialty that evaluates and treats diseases involving either arteries or veins throughout the body, excluding the heart and brain. Vascular surgeons are vein experts.

However, a vein specialist does much more than just perform surgeries. When voting in favor of Dr. Bardwil as the best vascular surgeon in Houston, Texas, readers were likely considering the following facts about Dr. Bardwil and Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialists:

The long list of surgical and nonsurgical services and procedures the doctor provides to treat your leg veins.
The doctor’s ability to identify vascular problems early and treat them through exercise, medication, and other noninvasive methods, sparing patients unnecessary discomfort. Not all leg swelling is the result of abnormal veins, and he will be able to distinguish whether you will benefit from treatment of your leg veins.
His formal education and training.
His unparalleled experience in the field of vascular medicine and more specifically the treatment of venous disease.
His experience in managing venous stasis ulcers.
The doctor’s genuine care for and desire to provide his patients with the concierge level of care, performing the venous ultrasound himself, the sclerotherapy, all evaluation and follow up, without concierge fees in Houston, Texas.
The doctor’s willingness to spend the time necessary with each and every patient to make sure the patient understands their condition, the implications, and answer any and all questions the patient may have for the doctor about their condition, treatment, and desired outcome.
Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialist’s staff, which supports Dr. Bardwil. The friendliness and professionalism of the staff are frequently cited in patient reviews.

All of Dr. Bardwil’s initial consultations begin with a thorough physical evaluation, coupled with a review of the patient’s medical history. During the evaluation, he will perform a venous ultrasound exam himself, to assist him in determining the condition of the veins. This evaluation will allow Dr. Bardwil to determine the problem and then determine an accurate course of treatment.

The Role of Venous Insufficiency

“Venous insufficiency” means that the veins aren’t functioning properly in returning the blood from the legs back to the heart. Veins have internal barriers referred to as valves which allow blood in the legs to go up, and not come back down. When this happens, the blood in the legs can pool resulting in varicose veins and leg swelling. The most frequently involved vein is the long saphenous vein, which runs from the ankle to the thigh crease. Vein stripping, a varicose vein treatment practiced in the past, involved surgically removing this long vein in the operating room.

Are Spider Veins and Varicose Veins the Same Thing?

While spider veins and varicose veins are related, they are not the same condition. For instance, varicose veins can cause spider veins, but not vice versa.

Spider Veins – The least severe stage of venous insufficiency (of six stages) are spider veins. They are small, blue, purple or red veins that are surface veins, visible just under the surface of the skin.
Varicose Veins – They have a ropy or lumpy appearance. They’re most commonly seen in the legs.

What Causes Vein Problems?

For both varicose veins and spider veins, the primary cause is heredity. However, there are other factors that must be considered. An individual with a family history of varicose veins may or may not develop them.

These factors, that don’t cause varicose veins but can influence development, include:

Age (varicose veins are more common in older adults).
Gender (women are more likely to get varicose veins than men) largely due to hormones.
Pregnancy (women who have been pregnant have a higher risk) also largely due to hormones.
Hormone replacement therapy (individuals who have received HRT have a higher risk): hormones again.
Birth control pills (some forms of oral birth control can increase the risk): hormones again.
Inactivity (a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk): the calf muscle pumps the blood in the veins during walking. Disuse atrophy will affect the ability of the muscles to pump blood.

How Are Varicose Veins Treated?

Stripping the long saphenous vein is no longer the standard for treatment for varicose veins. Less invasive procedures have allowed vein treatments to be performed in an office setting. The standard is endovenous thermal ablation of the long saphenous vein. These procedures involve using the ultrasound to guide placement of a laser or radiofrequency fiber in the long saphenous vein and using heat to seal it. The procedure offers minimal discomfort and requires no hospitalization, although anesthesia must be administered. Once the patient heals, any remaining vein bulges can be removed through a procedure called a micro phlebectomy, or ultrasound guided injections of solutions to shrink and close veins.

Dr. Bardwil Can Help

Are you suffering from varicose veins? Do your legs feel heavy, tired, achy, throb, itch, swell or have you experience bleeding from veins, or do you have wounds by your ankle that won’t heal? There is no reason to suffer. Dr. Bardwil can offer the relief you need and give you back smooth, blemish-free legs, feet, and hands. He can treat all types of veins from minor spider veins, spider veins to bulging varicose veins, and even help to heal chronic venous ulcers.

Contact Texas Vein & Cosmetic Specialists today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.