What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a treatment that closes off veins that are causing cosmetic issues. Having veins that you can see doesn’t normally pose or indicate a health risk, but they might cause you to cover up and conceal your skin in instances where you’d rather have it exposed.
During sclerotherapy at Aesthetic Dermatology and Laser Surgery, Dr. Breadon and the team place a medication called a sclerosant into a syringe. They inject the sclerosant directly into the vein, causing the vein to close.
You don’t need to worry about losing the vein; your blood reroutes through other vessels in the region to get around the closed section.
What does sclerotherapy treat?
Sclerotherapy treats two different types of troublesome veins that affect the way your skin looks and can be hard to cover. With predictable results, sclerotherapy treats:
Spider veins
Spider veins are usually very small and can appear almost anywhere, though they’re most common on the face and legs. They look like small tree branches and can be red, blue, or purple.
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are larger than spider veins, and they tend to take on a lumpy or mangled appearance. The legs are by far the most common location for them, and they form because of faulty valves and blood pooling. Sometimes they ache, but sclerotherapy relieves any discomfort from them.
How long does sclerotherapy take?
Sclerotherapy is a very efficient procedure that doesn’t take much time out of your day. The injections take 15-45 minutes, depending on the number of spider or varicose veins you want to target during your appointment.
How should I care for my skin after sclerotherapy?
Dr. Breadon and the team provide aftercare tips to help you get the best possible outcome with your sclerotherapy treatment. They usually ask that you come back in about three weeks to look over the veins and make sure you can no longer see them. If they’re still visible, the team might recommend another injection.
There is minimal downtime after sclerotherapy and minimal discomfort. To care for your legs after treating varicose or spider veins, you should wear compression stockings consistently for about a week.
Are the results of sclerotherapy permanent?
Once a vein is treated with sclerotherapy, it does not come back. However, if you’re at risk for varicose or spider veins, you might get more near the veins you already successfully treated. You can get additional sclerotherapy treatments for new veins as they appear.
To rid your face of tiny spider veins or your legs of large, bulging varicose veins, call Aesthetic Dermatology and Laser Surgery for an appointment or book online today.
