Sclerotherapy

/images/img-procedures-sclerotherapy-01.jpg

Are you tired of hiding out in pants and long dresses due to spider veins on the legs? Spider veins are formed when the valves in the legs become compromised and allow blood to flow backwards in the vein causing blood to pool in the vein making the vein visible. Sclerotherapy is a great way to treat spider veins and reticular veins without surgery and downtime. Sclerotherapy is performed by injecting a small amount of sclerosis agent into a vein. This solution causes the vein walls to swell shut, stick and shut off the vein. The body then reabsorbs the vein and the vein disappears. It is important to treat the reticular veins prior to treating the spider veins. The reticular veins are large veins under the skin surface that are responsible for the blood pools. Without shutting these down first, the spider veins will simply reappear.

Causes

  • Genetics
  • Prolonged Standing
  • Pregnancy
  • Age
  • Obesity

Treatment Time

30 minutes, number of treatments will depend on the severity

Pre-treatment

  • Avoid sun 3 weeks before and after treatment
  • Avoid anti-inflammatory, vitamin E, Fish oil, and ginkgo biloba medication for 1 week prior
  • Wear lose fitting shorts or pants the day of treatment
  • Bring compression socks for use after the treatment. We will assist you with size and pressure

Post-treatment

  • Wear compression socks continuously for 5-7 days
  • Avoid contact sports or strenuous workouts for 10 days
  • Avoid hot tubs, saunas, warm bath and sun exposure for 3 weeks

Results/Side Effects

You may notice some mild burning post treatment. The vein will begin to fade in 3-4 weeks but may take 6 weeks to 6 months to fully resolve. Skin ulceration can occur but is rare. Some dark discoloration my occur at some treatment sites.

Long Term Management

If you have incompetent valves, new veins will appear over time. Ways you can help prevent this include:

  • Regular exercise
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Eating a high-fiber, low sodium diet
  • Change standing/sitting positions regularly
  • Use compression socks
  • Plan on 1-2 treatments a year to address any new veins


Disclaimer: Individual results may vary depending on patient body type, the number of treatments, or the duration of treatments. For additional information on procedure effectiveness and expected results please consult a member of the Boat Club Medical Spa team.