Tag: Harvard Trained Vascular Surgeon

Santa Cruz Vein Care: The Truth Behind Who’s Treating Your Veins And Why It Matters More Than Ever

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

Santa Cruz deserves better than gimmicks. Better than corporate franchises. Better than pop-up vein clinics run by part-time proceduralists who learned vein work at weekend courses. Better than the glossy Instagram reels created by non-vascular specialists hoping to cash in on a profitable trend.

For the first time in decades, Santa Cruz and the coastal communities have true, board-certified vascular surgeons offering full-time, comprehensive vein and vascular care — not just cosmetic touch-ups or quick in-and-out procedures.

And at the center of this transformation are Dr. Polly Kokinos and Dr. Ruby Lo, two Ivy-League-trained, board-certified vascular surgeons whose combined depth of experience is unmatched anywhere on the Central Coast.

This is Santa Cruz Vein Care — redefined.

The Vein Experts Santa Cruz Has Been Waiting For

Let’s get one thing perfectly clear:

Not all “vein doctors” are created equal.

Many vein clinics in California — and across the country — are run by:

  • General surgeons

  • Cardiologists

  • Anesthesiologists

  • Pain doctors

  • ER physicians

  • Dermatologists

  • Cosmetic doctors

  • Or even non-physicians

…who took a short course to learn a technique, not the disease.

Here’s the truth most clinics will never tell you:

Performing a vein procedure is NOT the same as treating venous disease.
Just because someone can hold a laser fiber does not make them a vascular expert.

Veins are a vascular disease — not a cosmetic hobby.

And only board-certified vascular surgeons have the training to diagnose, treat, and manage the full spectrum of venous and arterial problems. Anyone else performing vein procedures is practicing at the edge of what they understand.

Why Dr. Polly Kokinos and Dr. Ruby Lo Are Different

No quotas.
No production targets.
No corporate pressure.
No “treat every vein whether it needs it or not.”

Just 30+ years of real vascular expertise, over 20,000 vein cases, and a commitment to the long-term health of the patients they serve.

Dr. Polly Kokinos

  • Columbia-trained

  • UCSF General Surgery

  • Washington University (Barnes Hospital) Vascular Fellowship

  • Over 20,000 vein cases performed

  • 350+ five-star Google reviews

  • 30 years serving her community — long before vein clinics became trendy

Dr. Kokinos shows up on Google because of her results, not because she pays for placement. Her patients talk, write, and share because they trust her — because she earned it.

Dr. Ruby Lo

  • Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Vascular Fellowship)

  • Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery at Brown University

  • Nationally recognized for complex venous disease and limb preservation

  • Deep understanding of vascular physiology — not just techniques

Together, Drs. Kokinos and Lo bring something Santa Cruz has never had:

Full-time, board-certified, Ivy-trained vascular surgeons who understand the entire circulatory system — not just the superficial veins.

Don’t Be Fooled by Shiny Marketing or High-Volume Chains

Corporate vein clinics pour massive dollars into digital ads designed to look “doctor run.”
They promise quick fixes.
They promote flashy technology.
They lean on Instagram aesthetics.
They sell convenience over expertise.

But here’s the truth Santa Cruz patients deserve to know:

Corporate clinics are built on production quotas, not patient outcomes.

Their business model depends on volume — the more veins they ablate, the more insurance they bill. That’s why so many patients get procedures they never needed.

Contrast that with Dr. Kokinos and Dr. Lo:

They treat the veins that need treatment — and only those.

No up-selling.
No over-treating.
No unnecessary procedures.
Ever.

Because they’re not chasing targets.
They’re caring for people.

The Difference Between a Proceduralist and a Vascular Surgeon

Think of it this way:

  • Many people can shoot a basketball.

  • Very, very few are Steph Curry or LeBron James.

That’s the difference between the average vein “doctor” and a board-certified vascular surgeon.

One knows how to perform a technique.
The other understands the entire game — the strategy, the physiology, the complications, the long-term implications, and the full circulatory system.

Vascular surgeons are trained to evaluate:

  • Deep venous reflux

  • Pelvic congestion

  • Superficial venous disease

  • Arterial disease (PAD)

  • Non-healing wounds

  • Microvascular issues

  • Lymphedema

  • Diabetic circulatory problems

A proceduralist looks at a bulging vein and wants to close it.
A vascular surgeon looks at why that vein bulged — and whether closing it will help you or hurt you.

There is no substitute for expertise.

Why Santa Cruz Is Lucky — Truly Lucky

Countless communities across California rely on vein clinics run by rotating physicians and mid-level providers who come in once a week for procedures.

Santa Cruz is different now.

Santa Cruz now has the “superstars” of vein care on the Central Coast.

Not because of marketing.
Not because of paid ads.
Not because of corporate influence.

But because two of the most respected vascular surgeons in California chose to build a long-term, full-time practice in this community.

When Dr. Kokinos and Dr. Lo arrived, the standard changed — permanently.

A Message to the Internet-Savvy Santa Cruz Patient

You already know how much online misinformation exists in the cosmetic and medical space.
You already know how easy it is to “look like an expert” on social media.
And you already know that the more polished the advertising, the more skeptical you should be.

Your veins deserve more than a marketing campaign.

They deserve board-certified vascular surgeons with a 30-year track record of integrity, clinical judgment, and real outcomes.

Instagram cannot teach someone vascular physiology.
A weekend course cannot replace a decade of training.
A franchise cannot create devotion to a community.

But Dr. Kokinos and Dr. Lo can — and have.

If You Want the Best Vein Care in Santa Cruz, Look Beyond the Ads

Look for:

  • Board certification in vascular surgery

  • Full-time presence in the community

  • Hospital privileges

  • Deep understanding of venous and arterial disease

  • Proven outcomes

  • Real reviews

  • No quotas

  • No unnecessary procedures

That’s the South Bay Vascular standard.

And now, Santa Cruz has access to it.

Take the First Step Toward Real Vein Health

If you struggle with:

  • Varicose veins

  • Leg heaviness

  • Leg swelling

  • Discoloration around the ankles

  • Pain when standing

  • Non-healing wounds

  • Restless leg symptoms

  • Ulcers

  • Bulging veins

  • Prior failed vein treatments

…your next move matters.

Don’t settle for cosmetic clinics or high-volume chains.

Choose the experts who treat vein disease — not just vein appearance.

Call South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute at 408-376-3626.

Serving Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, and the entire Central Coast.

Because you deserve the truth.
You deserve real expertise.
You deserve board-certified vascular surgeons.
You deserve Santa Cruz Vein Care — the way it was meant to be.

Leading the Fight Against Vascular Disease in Silicon Valley

Posted on by Michael Kokinos

When Experience Leads—Others Imitate

In Silicon Valley, people expect excellence—not slogans. At South Bay Vascular Center & Vein Institute, we’ve set that standard for almost three decades. While others chase profits, we pursue outcomes.  Our care model is simple and sacred:

One Patient. One Doctor. One Nurse.

Every patient is personally evaluated by a board-certified vascular surgeon, not an NP, PA, or a marketing “vein specialist.” At South Bay Vascular, doctors—not financial managers—make the final call on your care.

Because for us, medicine isn’t a business strategy. It’s a calling.

The Vein Industry’s Dirty Secret

Scroll through social media and you’ll see it: endless ads from national “vein centers” promising Harvard-trained vein doctors, celebrity legs, and quick, painless fixes.
But look closer—many of these “experts” are anesthesiologists, pain doctors, or radiologists, not vascular surgeons. They’ve traded the operating room for an Instagram feed and call it innovation.

Treating varicose veins doesn’t make you a vascular surgeon—any more than test-driving a car makes you an engineer. A vascular surgeon is trained to understand the entire circulatory system—arteries, veins, and microvessels—across every organ of the body. They don’t just remove veins for cosmetics; they save legs, prevent strokes, and restore life to limbs most others would amputate.

What Makes South Bay Vascular Different

We treat the full spectrum of vascular disease—arterial blockages, aneurysms, carotid disease, non-healing wounds, and complex venous disorders.

Our surgeons trained at Columbia, UCSF, Washington University, NYU, and Harvard, and our results speak for themselves: thousands of successful limb-salvage cases, wound closures, and restored lives.

But our success didn’t come from fancy marketing. It came from doing the hard work—day after day, year after year, one patient at a time.

We don’t imitate others; we lead.

The Silicon Valley Analogy That Says It All

You can buy a smartphone that looks like an iPhone—but you’ll know the difference the moment you touch it:

Precision, craftsmanship, performance—those aren’t branding.

They’re the product of mastery.

That’s the same difference between a national “vein clinic” franchise and a true vascular surgery practice. Both may promise results, but only one is built from the inside out—designed by surgeons who understand every layer of vascular anatomy and who’ve spent their lives repairing what others only gloss over.

You don’t entrust your heart to a podiatrist. Why trust your circulation to a part-time “vein doctor”?

Doctors, Not Marketers

At South Bay Vascular, every diagnosis and every procedure decision is made by a board-certified vascular surgeon. We don’t delegate your health to staff with limited training or chase profits with unnecessary procedures. Our team includes highly trained nurses, registered vascular technologists, and surgeons working in perfect alignment—an ecosystem built on integrity, not income. A model we pioneered; not something we copied.

We’ve watched national chains expand through financial engineering—backed by private equity firms that see patients as revenue streams. That’s not us.

Our success was earned by putting patients first, not profits. Always has been. Always will be.

Now Is the Time

As the year draws to a close, most patients have already met their insurance deductibles—making this the perfect time to schedule vein or circulation treatments before 2026 resets your out-of-pocket costs.

Don’t wait. Varicose veins are more than cosmetic—they can signal deeper, dangerous circulatory issues.
Our Campbell-based outpatient vascular center offers same-day evaluations, advanced ultrasound diagnostics, and minimally invasive treatments—all performed by board-certified vascular surgeons.

If you want authentic expertise, decades of experience in the community setting and not advertising gloss, you’ll find it here.

Experience Matters—And It Shows

From Campbell to Santa Cruz, Gilroy to Fremont, and soon our new East San Jose office, South Bay Vascular continues to lead the fight against vascular disease throughout Silicon Valley. We didn’t buy this reputation; we didn’t copy the model for success from another vascular surgical practice: We earned it—one healed wound, one saved limb, and one grateful family at a time.

Because real care can’t be franchised. It’s built—by hand, by heart, and by the hands of surgeons who still believe medicine is about humanity, not margins.

If you or anyone you know suffers from a circulatory illness; require dialysis care; can’t sleep at night because of throbbing pain in your leg; or has varicose veins or swollen legs, call us today to schedule an appointent at 408-376-3626.

WE CAN HELP!

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute

Leading the Fight against Vascular Disease In Santa Clara County for almost 30 years.