Sclerotherapy in the spring
Posted in General on March 8, 2010
Now is the time to get your legs ready for summer. Those of you who are embarrassed to show your legs in shorts or skirts because of those veins on your legs should consider sclerotherapy. A simple 30 minute procedure can improve the appearance of the veins by shrinking them or causing them to disappear completely.
In our clinic, this procedure is for people (men or women) with small spider veins: anyone with larger veins or veins that stick out should see a vascular surgeon for options. We use a solution of strong saline with a small amount of lidocaine added for comfort. A very small dental needle is used to inject the saline into the veins. Most people experience stinging as the solution is injected, but by the time they leave the office, the stinging is gone. The saline irritates the walls of the blood vessel and then your body just absorbs that damaged tissue. This procedure is safe with a very low risk of side effects. Most people have some redness or discoloration for about a week -- then improvement of the vessels occurs over about a month after the procedure. People with many veins may need additional treatments for optimal results.
Studies have shown that people who wear a medical grade support hose after treatment get better results than people who don't. We recommend that you wear these house round the clock (except for bathing) for 3 days and then for 2-3 weeks after treatment. These are carried at the clinic if you don't have your own. It's better to wear these hose in March while it is still cool than in the middle of summer! If you are interested, call the clinic for a consultation. Treatment can be done the same day if you wish.