Sclerotherapy

At Advanced Vascular Surgery throughout Michigan, the team of dedicated vascular and venous experts considers sclerotherapy the best treatment for spider veins and medium to large varicose veins. Sclerotherapy is safe, requires little downtime, and provides excellent cosmetic results. To find out more about sclerotherapy and how it can get rid of your spider and varicose veins, call Advanced Vascular Surgery or schedule a consultation online today. 

What is sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is an in-office, minimally invasive treatment for spider veins and varicose veins. For sclerotherapy, your provider at Advanced Vascular Surgery injects an irritating chemical into your vein, making it swell shut, contract, and collapse.

Spider and varicose veins appear when you have damage to the wall or valve of a vein. That damage allows the blood to flow backward and pool, causing the vein to swell and become visible. 

These visible veins affect the look and texture of your skin. Though often looked at as more of a cosmetic issue, spider and varicose veins are also signs of circulation problems.

Am I a candidate for sclerotherapy?

The team at Advanced Vascular Surgery determines if you’re a candidate for sclerotherapy after an evaluation. They perform sclerotherapy to treat spider veins and medium to large varicose veins on the legs and feet.

Sclerotherapy is a safe procedure with little risk of complications. However, it’s not the right treatment for everyone.

The team may not consider you a candidate for sclerotherapy if you have a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis or superficial vein thrombosis), you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or you can’t get out of bed. 

What happens during sclerotherapy?

Your initial sclerotherapy treatment at Advanced Vascular Surgery takes 60 to 90 minutes. Most patients need more than one treatment to get the best results, and these follow-up sessions take about 60 minutes.

While you sit in the treatment chair, your varicose vein specialist cleans your skin with alcohol swabs and examines the surrounding area with a light that illuminates the vein. 

You may feel a slight stinging or burning sensation during the injection. After the injection, your provider massages the area, distributing the solution to other parts of the vein. 

Following sclerotherapy, your provider gives you compression stockings, which you need to wear for a full 48 hours without interruption. You continue to wear the stockings for two weeks when you’re awake and on your feet.

What can I expect after sclerotherapy?

You may have some itching and bruising following sclerotherapy, but there’s no need for downtime following your procedure. Your provider at Advanced Vascular Surgery gives you specific activity instructions to get you the best results.

The vein slowly fades away over time, and your body reroutes blood through a healthy vein. 

To see if you’re a candidate for sclerotherapy, call Advanced Vascular Surgery or schedule an appointment online today.