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Sclerotherapy for Spider Veins
Sclerotherapy is a very effective method for easily and painlessly removing small varicose veins and spider veins. Spider veins are tiny blue, red or purple blood vessels that most commonly appear on the legs. They are generally just a cosmetic problem.
With sclerotherapy, a chemical solution is injected into the varicose or spider veins with a very tiny needle. The solution causes the walls of the blood vessel to collapse and seal together, therefore preventing blood flow. The damaged blood vessel will eventually be reabsorbed by the body. Eliminating spider veins will not adversely affect your circulation. In some circumstances, their removal actually improves circulation by removing pooled blood from the legs. Patients may notice that any heaviness, aching or fatigue they were experiencing improves after the procedure.
This spider vein treatment often requires 2-4 sessions to see the complete removal of spider veins. The specific number of sessions will depend on the type, number, and size of veins that need to be injected. This procedure only treats currently visible spider veins and can not prevent the development of new spider veins.
This page contains the following information about sclerotherapy:
- Reasons for Having Sclerotherapy
- Risks Involved in Sclerotherapy
- Conditions to Let Your Doctor Know About
- Insurance Coverage
- Procedure Locations
- Scheduling This Procedure
- Preparation Guidelines
- What to Expect During Your Procedure
- Recovering from Your Procedure
- Additional Information
Reasons for Having Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is generally done to improve the appearance of the legs. It may also reduce aching, heaviness and fatigue in the legs.
Risks Involved in Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a very safe radiology procedure with minimal risks. There are some significant side effects, but they rarely occur.
Minor side effects of sclerotherapy include:
- Matting: In approximately 10% of patients, new spider veins will form in the area of an injection. While they will often fade in 3-12 months, there are rare circumstances where the matting is permanent. If this is the case, the matting can be re-injected.
- Hyperpigmentation: In approximately 20% of patients, a light brown discoloration occurs in the skin along a vein that was treated. It usually fades within a few weeks, but may take several months to a year to resolve. In 1% of cases, the discoloration remains for over a year.
- Trapped blood: It is common for blood to become trapped and hardened in a treated vein. The trapped blood may need to be drained to prevent or reduce hyperpigmentation. Wearing compression hose as instructed after the procedure will reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
Rare side effects of sclerotherapy include:
- Ulcer: An ulcer can occur at the site of an injection, which can take 4-6 weeks to heal and will likely leave a scar.
- Allergic reaction: It is possible to have an allergic reaction to the solution used in the injections.
- Blood clot : If deeper varicose veins are treated with sclerotherapy, a blood clot can form and travel to a deep vein or the lungs. This is an extremely rare occurrence.
Conditions to Let Our Doctor Know About
In advance of your exam, let your INVISION radiologist or nurse know if any of the following circumstances apply to you:
- Previous reaction to sclerotherapy solution
- Currently pregnant or nursing
Insurance Coverage
Since spider vein removal is a cosmetic procedure, it is not covered by insurance.
Procedure Locations
This spider vein treatment is done at the following INVISION locations in the Denver, Colorado area:
Scheduling This Procedure
To schedule a consultation or a sclerotherapy session, call 720-493-3406.
Preparation Guidelines
Following are the preparation guidelines for sclerotherapy. Please contact us at 720-493-3406 if you have any questions.
- Bring compression (medical) stockings with you.
- Bring a pair of shorts with you.
What to Expect During Your Procedure
Prior to the date of the procedure, you will come in for a consultation with a radiologist or nurse who is specially trained to do sclerotherapy. You will fill out paperwork and consent forms so the INVISION staff will know your medical history. The radiologist or nurse may determine that you need to have an ultrasound or noninvasive vascular assessment to check for varicose veins or blood clots.
When you come in for the procedure, a nurse will take your blood pressure and temperature. You will then change into your shorts. The radiologist or nurse who will do the sclerotherapy may take photos of your legs to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment.
After answering any questions you have, the radiologist or nurse will begin the procedure. Using a large syringe with a very tiny needle, he or she will inject each vein with the sclerotherapy solution. Larger veins are usually done first. After a vein is injected, it will immediately be compressed with cotton and tape. You may need to change positions several times on the table, lying both on your back and your stomach, to allow access to all the affected veins. You will feel little or no pain throughout the procedure, which may include up to 40 separate injections.
Only a limited amount of solution can be injected in one session. The session will end after all veins are treated or the allotted amount of solution is used. A typical session takes 30-60 minutes. You will likely have to come in for more than one session.
Immediately after the procedure is completed, you will put the compression stockings on over the cotton and tape and change back into your normal clothes.
You will have a follow-up visit after your last session. Photos of your legs may be taken again to keep in your file.
Recovering from Your Procedure
There is no recovery after this radiology procedure. It’s recommended that you walk, but you may need to avoid strenuous activities for a day or two.
The cotton and tape can be removed the morning following your procedure. You will need to wear the compression stockings for a week, continuously for the first 72 hours.
Some people experience itching, bruising, cramping, or mild pain at the injection sites. Itching, cramping, and pain will subside quickly. Bruising and discoloration may last for two or three weeks.
If you need to have multiple sclerotherapy sessions, you will need to wait 3-4 weeks between sessions.
Additional Information
The information on this page was taken in part from some of the following web sites. Visit these sites for additional information on spider vein treatments.
