ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- Most women want silky, sexy legs. But sometimes varicose veins can get in the way, creating lumpy, bumpy legs.

“It's more painful than you would think. It doesn't just look bad, it hurts,” said Angela Briggs.

She started seeing her veins push out while she was pregnant.

Doctors said varicose veins are caused by damaged valves in the veins that allow blood to pool instead of moving through the body. For people like Briggs, the results are ripples, lumps and bumps all the way down her leg.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Daniel Monahan said there is an old way to fix them.

“If you pass the stripper up the vein, tie a ball to the vein, gave it a pull and rip, [they] pulled the vein out; Kind of barbaric,” Monahan said. But in his practice in Roseville, Monahan is using a new way of treating varicose veins.

Briggs was willing to give it a shot.

It's called VNUS Closure. Monahan uses heat to close the damaged veins and eliminate the backward flow of blood.

“I have high expectations that it is going to work out fine. I won't have the pain, soreness,” Briggs said.

KCRA 3 was in the room during Brigg’s procedure. Monahan prepped his patient's leg with a topical anesthetic. She was awake during the whole process.

He inserted a catheter through a tiny incision. He explained each step.

Next, Monahan put a coil instrument through the catheter. It heated to more than 260 degrees.

Monahan used anesthesia inside the vein so that Briggs didn’t feel the heat or pain.

During the process, Briggs commented about what she felt. “It really doesn't feel like it is any big deal, to be honest with you.”

Slowly with heat, Monahan worked to close off the damaged veins to restore normal blood flow.

Just over an hour later, Monahan is done with Brigg's first leg.

Most of what used to stand out was gone. Briggs said she is happy with the results.

“It’s remarkable. I cannot believe it was that simple,” Briggs said.

The VNUS Closure varicose vein procedure starts at $3,500 for one leg, slightly more for both legs. It may take a couple of sessions to get the results you want. Monahan says in most cases the procedure is covered by insurance because for most people, the veins are painful, not just a cosmetic concern.