Sclerotherapy

What It Is

Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias, are groups of small blood vessels that develop close to the surface of the skin. They appear red, blue, or purple and often take the appearance of a spiderweb. They are less than 1mm are commonly seen on the legs and face.

Varicose veins most commonly occur on the legs when veins become abnormally enlarged. They will protrude outwards or appear flat on the skin’s surface. They are the result of poorly functioning veins due to a backward blood flow that enlarges and weakens the veins.

Sclerotherapy is an injectable treatment that causes the blood vessels to shrink, which can be used to effectively treat spider veins or varicose veins. This non-invasive treatment uses a solution that is directly injected into a vein. This will irritate the vessel, causing it to swell and cut the blood flow where the vein is not functioning correctly. This will shrink the vessel and thus, eliminate the appearance of the spider veins or varicose veins.

Areas Treated

Sclerotherapy is performed in any area of the body where spider veins can occur, which most commonly include the legs and feet.

How It Works

Sclerotherapy is highly effective in the treatment of spider and reticulin veins. The treatment involves an injection directly into the affected vein, which will irritate the vein and cause it to scar, re-directing the blood through properly functioning, healthy veins. The scarred vein will be reabsorbed into surrounding tissue and fade with time.

Treated veins with sclerotherapy will fade within a few weeks after treatment, however full results can typically be noticeable within a month or more to see. Depending on your condition, you may require several sclerotherapy treatments.

Results

Sclerotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for spider leg veins. It is minimally invasive and can also help improve symptoms associated with this condition, such as swelling, burning, night cramps, and aching. You can expect to see noticeable results in your treated veins within 3 to 6 weeks, although it may take a few months to see full results. Depending on your condition, you may require a series of sclerotherapy treatments.

How long does the procedure last?

This procedure is completed in the privacy and comfort of the Fairview Laser clinic. Anesthesia will not be required and the procedure can range from 15 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the treatment area.

A follow up visit will be scheduled about a month after your first session to check how successful the procedure has been and this will help determine whether or not more sessions are required to obtain full results. Normally, sclerotherapy sessions are completed at 6 week intervals