Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that treats varicose veins and spider veins. It involves injecting chemicals, known as sclerosing agents, into damaged veins.

Sclerotherapy can also reduce pain or side effects caused by damaged veins.

How Does Sclerotherapy Work?

The procedure begins with your doctor cleaning the skin around the targeted veins. With a fine needle, your doctor will inject the damaged vein with a sclerosing agent, such as polidocanol, sodium tetradecyl sulfate, or hypertonic saline solutions.

The liquid or foam solution causes the walls of the injected vein to seal shut, so blood is redirected to unaffected veins. Over time, your body absorbs the damaged vein, making it less visible and uncomfortable.

Who Is A Good Candidate For Sclerotherapy?

Most people with varicose or spider veins are a candidate for sclerotherapy, though the procedure is mostly done on people between 30 and 60 years of age and in women.

People who are bedridden, breastfeeding, pregnant, or have given birth in the last 3 months are not eligible for the procedure.

How Long Does The Treatment Session Last?

Depending on the severity of the condition, sclerotherapy treatment can take about 30-45 minutes.

How Effective Is Sclerotherapy?

Smaller varicose veins and spider veins respond best to sclerotherapy. You may be able to see improvement within a few weeks of treatment. For larger varicose veins, the visual improvement can take up to 4 months.

You may also need several sessions to completely eliminate varicose or spider veins. Sclerotherapy doesn’t guarantee that there will be no visible traces or side effects of varicose or spider veins after the procedure.