Everything You Need to Know About Sclerotherapy for Spider and Varicose Veins

Are you tired of dealing with pesky spider and varicose veins? We have a solution. Sclerotherapy is a safe, minimally invasive treatment that can significantly reduce or eliminate both the appearance and discomfort caused by spider veins and varicose veins.

What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy involves injecting a sclerosing agent, or chemical solution, into the vein using a very fine needle. This solution irritates the vein tissue, causing the lining of the vein to swell, harden and eventually seal off. The vein then collapses and gets reabsorbed into the tissue, eventually fading. You may experience mild discomfort during the procedure, but this should subside when the procedure is done. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes.

Are You a Sclerotherapy Candidate?

Eligibility depends on the overall health of the area that will be worked on. Prior to the procedure, you will have an initial consultation with a vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you’re a good candidate for sclerotherapy.

Those who benefit the most from Sclerotherapy have spider veins or small varicose veins in their legs, are between the ages of 30-60, have not had blood clotting issues in the past and have not given birth or been pregnant in the past 3 months.

What to Except After Treatment

You may resume normal activity immediately after treatment. However, you should avoid running, heavy aerobics, heavy lifting, taking baths, hot tubs and swimming. You will need to wear compression stockings for one week after the procedure. You can expect to have some redness and/or bruising after the procedure, and it may take up to six weeks for the spider or varicose veins to completely dissolve.

Possible Sclerotherapy Side Effects

Most side effects on sclerotherapy are mild. Bruising may occur and can last several days up to a few weeks, depending on the patient. Patients may also experience itching that can last for one or two days, and there may be raised and/or red areas at the injection sites for a couple of days.

More serious side effects are rare but can include allergic reactions to the solution, inflammation, sudden onset of a swollen leg and small ulcers that may form at the injection site. If you experience any of these side effects, contact your provider immediately.

Generally, patients can expect a 50 to 90 percent improvement of treated spider or varicose veins. A consultation with your provider can help you decide if sclerotherapy is the right choice for you. If you would like to know if you’re a candidate for sclerotherapy and to learn about other treatment options for spider of varicose veins, please call MercyOne Iowa Heart Vein Center at 877-413-VEIN or schedule a consultation online.