Visual Sclerotherapy

Spider veins are common in women and men of nearly any age. And while they’re often painless and usually don’t cause health problems, they can be a sign of underlying vein disease.

One way to treat spider veins is through visual sclerotherapy — a non-surgical, outpatient procedure that treats both the medical and cosmetic aspects of spider veins. Depending on your individual situation, visual sclerotherapy may be used in conjunction with other types of vein treatments to reduce your risk of developing progressive vein disease. Here’s what you should know about sclerotherapy for spider veins.

Spider veins are quite common, affecting up to 60% of adults. These small, thin veins are actually dilated capillaries — tiny blood vessels— that lie close to the skin’s surface. They may appear blue, red, or purple.

One of a number of treatment methods for spider and varicose veins, visual sclerotherapy involves injecting the veins with a solution called a sclerosant, which closes up the veins and allows them to be reabsorbed by the body. After the spider vein injections, you’ll notice your veins fade away as the blood redirects to healthier veins. Unlike ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy — which uses imaging equipment to locate varicose veins that are deeper within the leg — visual sclerotherapy is used to treat spider veins that are close to the surface of the skin. Sclerotherapy for spider veins does not require image guidance. Instead sclerotherapy works to treat veins that can be seen without special equipment.

Treating spider veins with injections via visual sclerotherapy has numerous benefits, which include:

Speed: The treatment itself lasts only 15-30 minutes, making it easy to fit into your schedule. You’re able to return to your normal, daily activities immediately following visual sclerotherapy.

Comfort: Spider vein injections is an effective treatment option that causes no scarring. Due to its minimally invasive nature, you will leave our office with just a small bandage placed over the injection site.

Safety: Because sclerotherapy for spider veins is performed without surgery, it is a low-risk, FDA-approved treatment. There is a slim chance of side effects, but they are usually minor.

Success: Visual sclerotherapy is a highly effective treatment option, and boasts a success rate of more than 80% to 90% for treating spider veins.

RISKS

As a spider vein treatment, sclerotherapy generally has few risks and is unlikely to cause any serious complications. However, pregnant women or women that are breast-feeding should wait until after delivery or after breast feeding to undergo sclerotherapy.

Sclerotherapy can cause some minor side effects including:

• Slight bruising
• Red, raised areas or small sores in the treated area
• Dark spots or lines in your skin
• Tiny red blood vessels

Side effects of spider vein injections usually go away within a few days or weeks. Contact your doctor if any irritation occurs for longer than 2 weeks following your procedure.

Are you wondering what to expect when you have sclerotherapy? As with any kind of medical treatment, your physician will first provide a complete physical examination and ask about your medical history. During the physical, your doctor will examine and evaluate the veins to be treated and check for signs of vein disease and other conditions.

When taking your medical history, your doctor will ask about your current health such as:

• Medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), including any herbal supplements.
• Existing medical conditions (such as heart disease or diabetes) or recent illnesses, as well as any recent surgical procedures
• Allergies
• Whether you’ve previously had treatment for spider or varicose veins and, if so, what the results of the treatment were

Your doctor may ask you to avoid over-the-counter pain relievers, blood thinners, and other medications before treatment to help reduce the risk of excessive bleeding.

You shouldn’t shave or use lotion the day of your treatment. Wear loose, comfortable clothing to your appointment. The treatment itself will take between 15 and 30 minutes. Depending on the number of veins affected, as well as their location and size, multiple treatment sessions may be necessary to achieve desired results.

After getting spider vein injections, your physician will walk you through the healing process for your treatment. In general, you should avoid showering for the first 24 hours and stay away from hot baths and spas for at least a few days. You also should refrain from strenuous exercise, until your doctor clears you to return to your usual regime. Depending on your situation, you may need to wear compression stockings for a few weeks after treatment. Ask your specialist about the safest and most beneficial way to wear compression stockings.