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How Does Sclerotherapy Treat Spider Veins?
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat spider veins. The procedure injects a solution, called a sclerosant, into the affected veins. The sclerosant causes the vein walls to become irritated and collapse. Blood flow is then redirected to healthier veins, and the treated vein is eventually absorbed by the body.
How Long After Sclerotherapy Do Veins Disappear?
The timeline for spider vein disappearance varies. While we tell patients that their treated spider veins will look worse before they look better, it, generally, takes several weeks or months to see the full cosmetic effects of sclerotherapy. The rate of disappearance also depends on the size and location of the treated veins. During sclerotherapy, many veins will be injected in a 25 minute treatment session. Post-treatment, each injection site will look like a small red mosquito bite and may feel a bit itchy for a few hours. Over the next 2 weeks, the veins often look a bit darker and bruising will often occur. During those first 2 weeks, the veins will likely look WORSE than before treatment. Over the next 4 to 6 weeks the veins will slowly fade. Some larger clusters will require additional treatments at that time. Once again, things will briefly look worse and then the fading will continue. Large clusters of spider veins fade over the course of months, not days or weeks.
Patients are typically seen back for a quick check about 4 weeks after treatment. During this visit, we evaluate for what we refer to as “trapped blood.” As these veins close, blood can become trapped within the vein. In time, this can lead to discoloration of the skin overlying the vein. At the follow-up visit, if trapped blood is noted, the vein is pricked and the trapped blood is squeezed out.
What is it Like Getting Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is performed in-office at Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute. The procedure typically takes approximately 25 minutes, depending on the number and size of the veins being treated. Dr. Cutchen uses a tiny needle to inject the sclerosant directly into the affected veins during the procedure. You may feel a minor burning sensation shortly after the injection. This treatment is well-tolerated by most all patients.