What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is the injection of certain solutions to treat large painful veins – usually on the legs. It involves the injection of a sclerosing agent which causes the inside of the vein to swell and then close. It eventually closes off these small veins and lets the body reabsorb this tissue resulting in minimizing the appearance of these veins on the surface of the skin
How long does the procedure take?
It can take from 45 min to one hour per session.
What types of veins can you treat?
You can treat veins on the legs that are as small as a human hair up to the size of a number 2 pencil. Sometime a medical evaluation will need to be performed prior to treating the leg veins.
Does the procedure hurt?
The procedure consists of using small injections by the veins. Most people can tolerate the procedure well without needing numbing medication beforehand.
How effective is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is very effective but can typically take 4-6 treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart to completely resolve the appearance of the veins. If more treatments are needed, waiting 6 months in between treatment sessions leads to good results. If you have an underlying medical problem called chronic venous insufficiency, sclerotherapy alone is not effective. We screen all our patients for venous insufficiency and will tell you if you need further testing.
What is the follow up care?
You will be required to wear thigh-high compression stockings for 48 hours after sclerotherapy. These stockings are provided to you with the cost of your treatment. You should expect some redness and raised bumps at injections sites for 24-36 hours. You may have dark and/or brown discoloration for several weeks after therapy, so you can plan ahead before a major event!
