Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to eliminate spider [thread] veins and varicose veins. It is a non-surgical treatment where sclerosant, a special chemical, is injected into the varicose vein, causing it to close, by damaging and scarring it’s inside lining.
Thread veins, more commonly known as spider veins, are veins which become more prominent, appearing on the face and the legs, due to hormonal changes during menopause, menarche, or pregnancy. However, they may also occur as a result of extensive muscular activity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, and sometimes, even due to genetics.
Varicose veins usually appear on the legs, and are generally more common among women. They are veins which have become distorted and enlarged due to any number of reasons, including ageing, obesity, heredity, prolonged standing, abdominal straining, leg injuries, pregnancy, and menopause.
The Treatment: Leg Vein Sclerotherapy
One of the most common treatments for leg veins, sclerotherapy helps reduce and eliminate those unsightly thread or varicose veins on your legs. A local anaesthetic is used for the procedure, and a sclerosing solution is then injected at various points on the leg. The solution causes irritation in the inner lining of the affected veins, causing them to fade over time.
You may be asked by your doctor to wear compression stockings following the procedure for a number of days in order to maintain the necessary pressure on the treated veins. Multiple sessions may be necessary to complete the procedure, as only one leg is treated at per session, while each leg may require more than one sessions.
The Results of Leg Vein Sclerotherapy
There is no specific recovery time following a sclerotherapy treatment session, but as mentioned above, you may be required to wear compression stockings as a precaution for a few days. The results of the treatment should start becoming apparent after 6 weeks, and the treated veins will begin to fade in 6 to 12 weeks.
The Possible Complications of Leg Vein Sclerotherapy
In some cases, the inflammation may increase post-treatment, while bruising is common side effect. The colour of your skin along the treated veins may also change, and could take from 6 to 12 months to disappear. Other complications include:
What are Thread & Varicose Veins?
- Headaches
- Pain in the Lower Back
- Blood Clots in Other Leg Veins
- Allergic Reactions
- Skin Necrosis
- Visual Disturbances
- Hyperpigmentation
- Thrombophlebitis
- Venous Thromboembolism
Sclerotherapy has minimal downtime, is more affordable compared to surgery, and does not require you to be admitted to the hospital, and it can considerably improve the appearance of your skin by reducing the symptoms associated with thread and varicose veins. However, the procedure works for only 80 out of every 100 people. Therefore, the biggest risk or complication associated with the procedure is the failure of the treatment itself.