What is Sclerotherapy Treatment?
Sclerotherapy treatment effectively treats varicose veins and spider veins. It is usually considered the treatment of choice for small varicose veins. Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical outpatient procedure designed to attenuate the appearance of spider veins and small, superficial varicose veins. Through sclerotherapy can eliminate the unsightly varicose veins that appear in the legs, face or virtually any part of the body. Sclerotherapy is minimally invasive: it only involves the use of a micro needle to inject a solution that causes the unwanted veins to vanish or disappear.
A solution is directly into the vein during the Sclerotherapy Procedure. The sclerotherapy solution causes the vein to heal, forcing the blood to re-route through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is absorbed by the local tissue and eventually disappears.
After sclerotherapy, treated veins tend to disappear within a few weeks; although sometimes you can spend a month or more to see the final result. In some cases, several sclerotherapy treatments are needed.
Sclerotherapy studies as a treatment for spider veins and varicose veins indicate that they have an overall success rate of approximately 60 to 80 percent in the removal of treated veins. Foam Sclerotherapy is also commonly used for treating the patients with such problems.
Side effects that may require treatment
There are other complications that are less frequent but may require treatment. These include:
- It is usually mild, but it can cause inflammation, heat and discomfort around the injection site. The doctor may suggest that you take aspirin to reduce inflammation.
- Blood clot. It is possible for a lump of coagulated blood to form in a treated vein, which may require drainage. In very rare cases, a blood clot can travel to a vein deeper in the leg (deep vein thrombosis).
- Deep vein thrombosis involves the risk of pulmonary embolism (a very rare complication of sclerotherapy), an emergency situation where the clot moves from the leg to the lungs and blocks a vital artery during the Sclerotherapy Recovery. Seek immediate medical attention if you have trouble breathing, chest pain or dizziness, or if you cough up blood.
- Air bubbles. Tiny air bubbles can appear in the bloodstream. They do not always cause symptoms but, if they do, some of the symptoms can be visual disturbances, headaches, fainting and nausea. Usually, these symptoms disappear, but call the doctor if you have movement or tenderness problems in the extremities after the procedure.
- Allergic reaction. You may have an allergic reaction to the solution used for the Sclerotherapy, although it is rare.
Results
If you received treatment for spider veins or small varicose veins, the final results can usually be seen after three to six weeks. Larger veins can take between three and four months. However, several treatments are needed to achieve the results you want.
Veins that respond to treatment usually do not come back, but new veins may appear. Your doctor will probably schedule follow-up visits, one month after the procedure, to verify the success of the procedure and decide if more sessions are needed. In general, you should wait about six weeks before submitting to another Sclerotherapy Solution.