Sclerotheraphy

Sclerotherapy is a cosmetic technique used to reduce the appearance of spider veins and smaller superficial veins. It is a safe, effective, non-invasive procedure that can be an excellent way to treat these often unsightly disfigurations

Spider veins are clusters of thin red, blue or purple coloured veins resembling spider legs that appear on the thighs, calves and ankles. They can also appear as tiny branch-like shapes or simple, thin, separate lines. Not only are spider veins displeasing, they can also cause physical discomfort including pain, swelling, burning and night cramps. Ageing, genetics, pregnancy, hormone changes, long periods of standing or sitting are all factors which contribute to the development of these veins.

Spider veins can be likened to a river delta with the river flowing into the delta. This is called a feeder vein and if any improvement is going to take place these feeder veins must be sealed off. This can only be performed by a medical practitioner familiar with the injecting technique. Any treatment that fails to seal off the feeder vein before treating the spider veins is an exercise in futility.

Example of spider veins (small red veins) with obvious feeder veins (thick blue veins).

Sclerotherapy involves the injecting of a solution into the vein which causes the vein to collapse and fade from view. The procedure itself is quick and the needle used is so small that minimal discomfort is felt. There may be a burning sensation from the solution and an inflammatory reaction which subsides within hours of the procedure. Generally there is a low level of discomfort associated with this procedure.

Once the therapy is complete the legs will be wrapped in compression bandages to facilitate proper healing. Compression reduces inflammation, thrombophlebitis and pigmentation. It is not uncommon to experience some cramping in the legs for the first day or two after injection. This is a temporary problem and does not require medication. You should be aware that your treated veins may look worse before they begin to look better and that when the bandages are removed you may have some bruises.

It will be necessary to return for follow-up visits at which time a decision will be made whether further injections or laser therapy is necessary for "touching up".