THE UK’s first doctor-led clinic focusing solely on the safe, effective and minimally invasive laser treatment of varicose veins, has opened a new clinic in Chipping Norton.

Varicose veins are unsightly, painful, twisted and bulging veins found on the legs, which if left untreated can cause permanent skin damage.

Veincentre founder and medical director Dr David West, and his team of venous specialists, now perform, on average, 1,600 non-invasive varicose vein treatments each year, and have performed over 20,000 treatments since the company was founded.

The decision to open the new clinic in Chipping Norton came after Dr West was approached by both a consortium of Interventional Radiologists based in Oxford, and representatives from the Chipping Norton Health Centre, opened last year by Prime Minister David Cameron.

The expansion is also thanks, in part, to the growing demand from body-conscious men who want to avoid getting ‘grandpa legs’ as they work out in the gym or cycle. The company says demand for treatment from men has increased from one fifth of all patients to around one third over the last five years. In particular its experts have seen a spike of middle-aged men, often dubbed MAMILS – or middle-aged men in Lycra - who have begun cycling or taken out gym memberships.

"The location and facilities at Chipping Norton are absolutely perfect for us and I am looking forward to enabling local patients to access our specialised treatments easily," said Dr West. Veincentre offers a unique service for patients with all vein problems from thread veins to the largest varicose veins and leg ulcers. We just do veins, and offer NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) approved state of the art outpatient treatment at a reasonable price.”

Within a week of announcing its new clinic, based at the Chipping Norton Health Centre, Veincentre saw a surge in demand from local patients booking appointments for once the clinic opened last month.

The clinic takes place every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, and for patient convenience, appointments will also be available on one Saturday each month.

It specialises solely on the treatment of varicose veins which enables it to be more efficient and reduce costs for patients.

Earlier this year the company won two awards in the Private Healthcare UK's 2016 Patients' Choice awards.