What is Sclerotherapy?
When valves malfunction in veins located near the surface of the skin, blood pools in the veins and can cause spider veins, or telangiectasias. These thin, bluish or purple webs are seen most often on the legs and feet, and also appear on the chest, face or hands.
Sclerotherapy closes off the affected veins, causing them to gradually fade and disappear.
How Does Sclerotherapy Work?
Sclerotherapy treatment involves injecting the affected veins with a solution that causes the veins to painlessly scar and collapse. The collapsed veins are reabsorbed into your normal tissue, and your body re-routes the blood through healthier veins.
The treatment is performed in your physician’s office and doesn’t require anesthesia. Using a fine needle, your doctor will inject each vein with the sclerosing solution. The number of injections you’ll receive depends on the number of veins to be treated. You might feel slight cramping during or after the injections, but over-the-counter pain medication usually helps. The treatment normally takes less than a half-hour.
After the injections, compression tape or stockings might be placed on the area, and you’ll be encouraged to walk around right away to ensure the best results. Many people experience a small amount of bruising, which gradually fades. Everyone recovers differently, though most people can get back to normal activities right after sclerotherapy treatment.
How Soon Will You See Results With Sclerotherapy?
Small spider veins will begin to fade gradually following treatment, and are usually significantly diminished in four to six weeks. Larger veins can take a few months to disappear.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sclerotherapy
If you have a small cluster or two of spider veins, you may need only one treatment, but if you have multiple clusters, you may need to return for more sessions.
It’s generally not recommended that people who have cardiovascular disease or have had heart bypass surgery get sclerotherapy treatment. Those who are pregnant or have a history of blood clots are also not usually good candidates.
The needles used to inject the sclerosing solution are very thin, so most people don’t experience discomfort during the injections — and the solution’s effect on your veins is painless.
