Scrolling through your Instagram feed, you’d almost think humans naturally have perfectly smooth, flawless skin. Of course, that’s just the effects of digital editing. Most of us have lumps, bumps, scars, and a variety of other imperfections. And for the most part, we accept a few blemishes here and there. But spider veins are another matter. They’re much more noticeable, and if you have spider veins they might bother you significantly.
Fortunately, medical science does provide us a a solution for spider veins. Sclerotherapy allows us to safely and easily remove spider veins for many patients, with a minimally invasive and quick procedure.
How does sclerotherapy work? Most often used on legs, sclerotherapy injects a solution into your troubling spider veins. This solution irritates the blood vessel lining and forms a scar. But in this case a scar is a good thing! The scar closes off the vein and improves its appearance.
Is sclerotherapy right for me? While sclerotherapy treatment works well for many people with spider veins, it’s not appropriate for everyone. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, have an active deep vein thrombosis or superficial vein thrombosis, or are unable to get out of bed, sclerotherapy is not safe for you. In some cases we can’t do sclerothrapy if the vein in question might be required for a future surgical bypass procedure.
We should also discuss your expectations before we get started with sclerotherapy. The procedure works well for improving the appearance of spider veins, but might not completely eliminate them.
How invasive is sclerotherapy? The treatment is only as invasive as a needle! Your doctor might also use ultrasound to locate the right vein. The entire procedure only takes about 30 to 45 minutes, but we might ask you to rest a bit afterward to rule out a bad reaction to the injected solution. After that, you can drive yourself home and return to normal activities. Support hose or compression wraps should be worn for three to seven days after the procedure, and we will advise you on other precautions you should take.
Most people respond well to sclerotherapy, but your case is unique. We invite you to make an appointment with us for a personal examination, and together we can decide if this is the right treatment for your spider veins.
