Center for Vein Restoration
7474 Greenway Center Drive (Maryland Trade Center 2)
1000
Greenbelt, MD 20770
240 965 3200
Sclerotherapy and Spider Veins
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins appear near the surface of the skin, are blue or red in color, and look similar to a spider web or tree roots. For the most part, spider veins form on thighs and calves. Spider veins differ from varicose veins in appearance as varicose veins are dark purple or blue and appear swollen and raised. The bad news is that more than 60% of adult women have spider veins. The good news; they are typically painless and easily treated.
How Do Spider Veins Develop?
There are a number of different factors that can contribute to the development of spider veins. In women, hormonal shifts like puberty and menopause heighten the possibility as does pregnancy. Other factors include weight gain, prolonged sitting or standing, aging, a leg injury or heredity. Though spider veins occur in men, it is with much less frequency.
Spider Veins as a Symptom
If you think you have spider veins your first step should be to visit your doctor to make sure they are not varicose veins and can be treated effectively. Spider veins can sometimes be an early symptom of venous insufficency. If left untreated or if only the surface issue of spider veins is corrected, the spider veins can eventually reoccur quicker and more serious vein issues can occur.
Spider Veins and Sclerotherapy
During your initial consultation, your doctor will examine your legs for vein problems, perform an ultrasound venous study, map out a treatment strategy, discuss your expectations, and go over specific treatment options. Usually the appearance of unsightly veins can be diminished through the use of sclerotherapy, a solution injected into the targeted vessels.
During sclerotherapy treatment no anesthetic is used and pain is experienced in the form of pricking from the needle and slight sensation from the injected solution. The treatment takes between 30-45 minutes, depending on the amount of treatment needed.
Technology
There are many different types of solutions to choose from. After reviewing your medical history your doctor will decide what is right for you.
Recovery/Post Op Expectations
On the day of treatment, you should arrive at your doctor's office in comfortable clothing that exposes the area that is to be treated. You should bring long pants and physician prescribed compression stockings with you.
After treatment you may experience some bruising and increased discoloration. Treated areas will appear to get worse before they get better. Gauze bandages may be placed over areas of injections and are usually kept on for 24 hours. Compression stockings or support hose are typically worn for three days and nights continuously and may be removed for showering. Sun exposure and tanning should be limited for one week following treatment sessions.
Complications are rare, but can include irritation due to an allergic reaction, the appearance of new veins around treated areas and blood clots. Patients may also experience mild itching or aching. Pigmentation changes in the skin around the treatment sites can sometimes occur.
Am I A Candidate?
Typically, patients are women between the ages of 30-60, though women as young as 18 and men get sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is not right for everyone. Health factors, medication, and age-related issues could sometimes complicate the effects of the procedure. Unfortunately, darker pigmented skin tones may have more limitations for sclerotherapy treatment options.
It is always important to choose an experienced provider and be sure to insist on a venous study before any sclerotherapy session. This is important to rule out venous insufficiency.
If venous insufficiency is found, endovenous ablation is a very effective, pain-free option that can be performed in a vein specialists office with tremendous results.