Sclerotherapy

What is sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment for spider and varicose veins. The treatment involves injecting the veins with a customized solution, which triggers a process in your body that causes the vessel to close down and fade away.

Research shows each sclerotherapy session eliminates 50-80% of injected veins. Depending on the veins you’d like removed, you may need more than one session.

What causes varicose and spider veins?

Varicose veins occur when a valve in your vein stops working, causing blood to pool inside the vein. The pool of blood makes the vein swell, bulge, and twist in a way that’s visible through your skin. Varicose veins usually develop on your legs.

Spider veins also twist and turn. These veins are smaller and can be red, blue, or purple. They typically appear on your legs and face.

Here are some of the common reasons these veins develop:

• Family history
• Jobs that require a lot of standing, such as nurses, factory workers, and hair stylists
• Being overweight
• Hormonal changes from puberty, pregnancy, or menopause
• Birth control pills or hormone therapy
• A history of blood clots

Wearing a girdle and health conditions that cause pressure on your abdomen, like being constipated, also put you at risk of getting varicose or spider veins.

What should I expect during sclerotherapy?

The procedure is performed in the office of Richard Hochman, DPM. Depending on the number of veins treated, your treatment takes 15-45 minutes.

Dr. Hochman begins by injecting the veins you want eliminated with a special solution. The solution will be custom-mixed to the right strength for your type of veins. Once injected, the solution irritates the lining of the vessel. This makes the vessel stick together as the blood clots. You may feel mild discomfort during the injection, but it will subside after a few minutes.

What should I expect after sclerotherapy?

The area of the injection may red, raised, or feel itchy for one to two days after the procedure. You may also have bruises for several days to several weeks.

Over the next few weeks or months, the vessel gradually fades from view. Larger veins may become lumpy, before eventually fading away in a few months. While you may see new tiny blood vessels near the old vein, these will go away on their own in 3-12 months.

If you’re ready for a solution to clear away your varicose or spider veins, call or schedule a consultation online today with Richard Hochman, DPM.