Spider veins, also known as varicose veins, present as blood vessels that look as if they are far too close to the surface of the skin. Small ones may look like a minor bruise while large spider veins may be several inches long and painful.
For small to medium-sized varicose veins, there is a treatment called sclerotherapy that will shrink the veins and make them disappear without the need for surgery or lengthy recovery times.
What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is done in the doctor’s office and treatment time does not take very long. Using a fine needle, the doctor will inject the spider veins with a medication that causes the vein to collapse. Your body’s circulatory system is strong and redundant, so the blood will simply be rerouted through other, deeper veins that can’t be seen.
Over the course of the next few weeks, your body will reabsorb the now-useless vein and the blemish will disappear. This can be done as often as needed, and it is very unlikely that the same vein will return again once treated because the medication also cuts off the veins feeding the offending vein.
Incidentally, the exact same procedure is also used to treat hemorrhoids and vascular malformations elsewhere in the body. Sclerotherapy is not ‘only’ a cosmetic treatment and has been an accepted medical procedure for many years.
What Are the Risks?
Complications are extremely unlikely and tend to occur only with an untrained individual doing the injections. That’s why it’s imperative to find an experienced professional.
More common side effects may include slight bruising or some mild discomfort following the injection. The vast majority of patients have no side effects whatsoever and return to their usual routines and habits immediately after treatment. If you do experience discomfort, an ice pack and some over-the-counter pain reliever can be used.
Do I Qualify to Try Sclerotherapy?
As long as you are generally healthy, have no clotting disorders and are able to receive injections, you likely are a candidate for treatments. Ask us if any of your health issues would preclude you from having sclerotherapy for your spider veins, to be sure it’s safe for you.
If you have unsightly varicose veins and want to get rid of them, sclerotherapy is a fast, nonsurgical solution. Contact Grossman Dermatology today to schedule an appointment and explore your options for ridding yourself of spider veins permanently.
