Spider and varicose veins can be huge nuisances for people struggling with them, whether they are only cosmetic problems or they are painful as well. Fortunately, there are many treatments available to help those dealing with these veins. One of the most longstanding types of treatment for spider and varicose veins is Sclerotherapy, which originated in the 19th century. Although, the techniques and technology used for the treatment have greatly improved since then. Let’s take a look at exactly how sclerotherapy works.
Sclerotherapy is considered a minimally invasive procedure and it can be done right in your doctor’s office without anesthesia. The procedure will take 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the particular case. The patient will lie on a bed with their legs slightly elevated. The doctor will then sterilize the injection area and inject a saline solution into the vein to be treated. This saline solution will irritate the vein, which will lead to it collapsing. Blood will be routed to other, more healthy veins. After the injection, the doctor will apply a compression pad to stop blood from flowing back into the vein. Over time, the collapsed vein will be reabsorbed into the surrounding tissue and will fade from view. The time that it takes for the vein to fully fade can vary from person to person and it also depends on the size of the vein. Typically, they will fade within a couple of weeks, but it may take as long as two months.
Sclerotherapy is the ideal treatment for spider veins treatments because of how long it has been around as well as its proven effectiveness. Not only can sclerotherapy help reduce the cosmetic issues of spider veins, but it can also help relieve some of the symptoms of spider and varicose veins. This includes symptoms like pain, swelling, aches, and cramps. In some cases of widespread spider veins, it may take several sclerotherapy sessions to address the problem. This is often the case when using the procedure on larger veins as well.
While the risks of sclerotherapy tend to be quite low, it is still good to be informed of them. Potential side effects include:
● Small sores
● Bruising
● Red areas
● Skin darkening (lines or spots)
● Tiny red blood vessels
These side effects usually fade quite quickly within a few days or weeks, although some side effects may linger for months or even years. Some severe potential side effects are less common but may require treatment. These include:
● Inflammation
● Blood Clot
● Allergic reaction to saline solution
● Air bubbles
If you experience any concerning side effects or symptoms, you should always contact your doctor. It may end up not being a problem, but your doctor should know about it. Remember, providing more information than necessary to your doctor is always better than not enough.
If you are looking to receive treatment for your spider or varicose veins, then give us a call here at BASS Vein Center. We are experts when it comes to these types of vein conditions and we offer many forms of treatment to address them. Give us a call today so we can craft the perfect treatment plan for your case.
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