General Practitioners

• Doctors who practice family medicine, sometimes referred to as general practitioners, are qualified to provide nonsurgical treatment for varicose veins. The mean annual salary for general practitioners was $173,860 as of May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 50 percent of general practitioner physicians earned more than $163,510 per year. The bottom 10 percent earned annual wages of less than $86,600.
  
  

Dermatologists

• Dermatologists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating disorders of the skin. They may treat varicose veins using laser, nonsurgical or surgical methods depending on the physicians' certifications. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classifies dermatologists with the Physicians and Surgeons, All Other employment category. The mean annual salary for these physicians was $180,870 as of May 2010, according to the BLS. The bottom 10 percent of dermatologists earned less than $53,510 per year.
  
  

Surgeons

• Surgeons are doctors who perform operations to treat illnesses, injuries or disorders. Surgeons, including plastic or cosmetic surgeons, may use noninvasive, minimally invasive or invasive methods to treat varicose veins. The mean annual income for surgeons was $225,390 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10 percent of surgeons earned less than $115,910.
  
  

Treatment Options

• Patients may gain relief from mild varicose veins on their legs by wearing compression stockings, which apply pressure to the affected area. Compression stockings may help the patient feel better, but will not treat the varicose veins. The most common type of varicose-vein treatment is sclerotherapy, a minimally-invasive procedure that involves sealing the vein off with an injection. Small varicose veins and spider veins may be treated with noninvasive laser treatments. Large varicose veins may require invasive surgical removal.