Dr. Z. Catherine Navarro Brings Decades Of Experience In Vein Care
Dr. Z. Catherine Navarro of the Vein Center of the Palm Beaches always did well in her science classes, but early on, she dreamed of a career as an oceanographer. However, when a friend asked Navarro to become her “science buddy,” her mind was opened to a career of helping people through medicine.
A “science buddy” was required for the volunteer hospital program that her friend wanted to do, an extension of the co-ed Boy Scouts Explorer program. Agreeing to join the program would change Navarro’s life.
“My sister was very ill as a child, and this friend was interested in becoming a doctor,” Navarro recalled. “I agreed in order for her to be part of this medical program at Coney Island Hospital.”
The more time Navarro spent at the hospital, the more interested in medicine she became. Born and raised in New York City, she went on to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with further medical training through the Boston University system. Navarro had her sights set on becoming a plastic surgeon — but halfway through her residency, she was ready to quit.
“My legs were killing me. I was going to drop out,” Navarro confessed.
Her problem? Varicose veins and spider veins. The American doctors she was talking to had no real solutions to offer.
“I met one physician who had trained in France,” she said. “He got me connected with his friends, and I went to Europe.”
There, her studies continued, but her focus changed completely.
“The Europeans did things differently. They were more preventative, used more herbs and supplements, and were big proponents of exercise,” Navarro said. “They also had special stockings that they didn’t have here. In Europe, I got interested in sclerotherapy [vein care]. In France, most of this work was done by dermatologists, so I also learned about skin care, peels and fillers.”
When she returned to the United States, Navarro was well-schooled in skin care and vein care, choosing South Florida to set up her practice in the 1980s.
“I chose the Wellington area because it wasn’t as crowded as New York City, but it still had sophistication,” she said. “I didn’t end up having children, but it was a community that was good for children with good schools. It was also exciting because two new hospitals were going to go in at the same time.”
Over the course of her practice, Navarro has enjoyed being on the staff at Palms West Hospital, JFK Medical Center and Wellington Regional Medical Center, where she served as director of medicine in the 1980s.
Navarro is board certified in internal medicine and phlebology, and currently serves on the faculty of the American College of Phlebology. She is also a member of the American Medical Association and the American Society of Internal Medicine.
At her Vein Center of the Palm Beaches, Navarro specializes in all the latest treatments for vein care, including laser vein treatment, ambulatory phlebectomy, endovenous laser ablation, closure, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, Asclera injection, sotradecol sulfate and more. The practice also includes a wide range of skin treatments.
Navarro stressed that she does not operate a clinic, where you see the doctor for your initial visit and then are handed off to a technician.
“I do all my own work,” Navarro said. “Most people coming to see me now, they don’t like the way their face looks, or are concerned about the hair on their head. They want injections to regenerate their skin, face or hair. Or they have swelling or pain in their legs. Or they have spider veins and haven’t been able to get rid of them.”
By helping others, Navarro feels she has come full circle. “I often say I didn’t choose my practice, my practice chose me,” she said.
The Vein Center of the Palm Beaches is located at 955 Sansburys Way, Suite 209, in West Palm Beach. To schedule a consultation or appointment, call (561) 333-6366. Visit www.drnavarro.com for more information.
