Do you find yourself avoiding shorts or dresses because you are embarrassed about the appearance of your leg veins? Do you dread summer because of the heat and the feeling that you must wear pants or thick stockings to cover these unsightly vessels? If you answered yes, you are not alone, and we may have a simple and safe solution for you: Sclerotherapy!
Sclerotherapy is a popular and effective method used to eliminate unwanted spider veins. The procedure is noninvasive and involves injecting a solution, called a sclerosing agent, into the veins. This causes an inflammatory response and collapse of the treated vessel and it ultimately gets reabsorbed by your own tissue and fades from view.
The procedure itself can take 15 minutes up to an hour and is relatively painless. Since it involves an injection, you may notice some initial stinging or cramping, but this usually subsides within a couple of minutes. You may also experience some mild bruising or discoloration at the site of the injection but this heals quickly.
Following the procedure, you will need to wear compression hose/stockings in order to maximize the results of the treatment. This constant pressure helps facilitate the breakdown of the vein wall. While normal activities can be resumed immediately following the treatment, we do suggest that you refrain from intense activity involving the lower legs (squats, leg presses, extensive running, etc). Walking is advised and we do suggest 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. For the first 2 days after the treatment, you should avoid hot baths, saunas, and direct sunlight as well as taking anti inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin.
Sclerotherapy has an excellent success rate and usually eliminates 50-80% of the treated vessels. Spider veins will usually fade within 6-8 weeks and once gone, they will not reappear. Depending on the extent of the affected area, more than one treatment may be necessary to achieve the desired results.
With sclerotherapy, we can help you feel confident again about the appearance of your legs. To schedule a consultation and learn if you are a good candidate for this noninvasive and effective treatment, call our office at (205)-580-1500.