"Don't your legs hurt?" Amy Munroe asked her husband this question each time they walked at the end of the day. It surprised her that he always said no. She never suspected her discomfort was actually caused by varicose veins.

"After my third child was born I remember thinking that my legs were looking worse," Munroe said. "I thought if I could make them look better, why not."

Munroe talked to a treatment center that seemed to have "dollar signs in their eyes." Then, she talked with a doctor who was in favor of vein stripping, a surgical procedure usually performed under general anesthesia in an operating room. Unimpressed, Munroe put off the idea for a while. Finally, she asked her dermatologist about vein treatments and was referred to Dr. Norman Bein, a board-certified surgeon and owner of Vein Specialties, LLC.

"Dr. Bein did a full ultrasound of my legs and explained things as he went. He didn't just talk about treatment, he explained how varicose veins result when veins become incompetent. He went to the root of the problem instead of treating them at the surface. I had approached this as a cosmetic issue, but as I learned more I realized that varicose veins are really a medical issue and were the source of my discomfort," Munroe said.

Comfortable with Dr. Bein and his explanations, Munroe scheduled a laser treatment and microphlebectomy. The first procedure sealed her problem veins from the inside and prevented blood from pooling in the non-functioning veins. The second removed large surface veins, "using a tool that looked like a tiny crochet hook."

"I was numb, but awake and able to ask questions the whole time," Munroe said, who noted that today her legs look great and no longer ache.

"I never felt like Dr. Bein had his hand on the door. I never felt rushed or pressured. Before the procedure, he explained everything on diagrams in his office. He answered questions during the procedure. And, when I had a concern after my procedure, at 10 p.m., he was ready to leave his house and meet me at the office if it made me feel better. Can you imagine a doctor giving you a direct cell number instead of going through an exchange," Munroe asked.

"I recommend Dr. Bein all the time. I tell people 'It doesn't hurt to at least go hear what they have to say and learn what they would do,'" Munroe said, especially since Vein Specialties hosts free monthly screenings. Learn more or make an appointment by calling 314-993-8233 or visiting veinspecialties.com.