Being comfortable and having the confidence to wear the clothes of your choice is easier said than done. Especially among women, a very common reason is that they have visible veins on their legs and around their ankles, which can make their skin appear much older.
An effective solution to this common problem is sclerotherapy. At VeinGuard Heart & Vascular Center, we have some of the highest-trained providers of sclerotherapy.
Sclerotherapy is a minimally-invasive treatment procedure that is used for removing visible spider veins as well as reticular veins from the body.
A solution known as sclerosant is injected into the vein that you want to target, which then results in the vein dissolving, collapsing, and eventually fading from view.
Spider veins are small blood vessels with a branch-like pattern, and they commonly appear on your face, legs, and around the ankles. They are usually blue, red, or purple in color and are mostly found in older women. The older you get, the more prominent these spider veins will become. Even though they do not pose any health risk, they do give you a much older appearance, which is why so many people want to get rid of them.
On the other hand, reticular veins are somewhat similar to spider veins, but they are larger in size. They are usually blue in color and are most commonly found in the legs and around the ankles. Since they are larger in size, they are more easily visible, which often discourages those who have them from wearing shorts, swimsuits, short skirts, and dresses.
Although the most common use of sclerotherapy is for removing spider and reticular veins, the procedure can also be used for reducing pain and side effects that result from damaged veins. So, not only does it have a cosmetic application, it has medicinal use as well.
Sclerotherapy follows a simple procedure that takes no more than an hour at the most. Depending on the size of the area to be treated, your treatment may take anywhere from just 10 minutes to an hour.
It is a minimally invasive procedure that only involves an injection of the sclerosant into the body. There is no need for anesthesia. It is an in-office procedure that the doctor can perform without you having to stay in the hospital overnight.
First, the area that needs treating will be thoroughly cleaned. Then, using a fine needle, the sclerosing agent is injected into the targeted vein. In most cases, the following are usually used as sclerosing agents:
The agent that the doctor uses depends on individual conditions and goals such as the severity of the condition and how visible the veins are, the size of the area to be treated, and more.
When the sclerosant finds its way inside your veins, the walls of veins are sealed shut, resulting in your blood being redirected to unaffected veins. Over time, the damaged vein is absorbed and broken down by the body. It becomes less and less visible until it disappears completely.
Depending on the size of the veins that you wish to target, you may need more than one treatment to achieve the results you want to see. It is important to note that spider veins and reticular veins may reappear even after sclerotherapy because they are a natural occurrence in your body.
Since this is a minimally invasive procedure, you can get on with your day after the treatment without requiring any downtime. It is painless and you won’t need rest after the injections.
However, for best results, it is advised that you do some mild exercises such as jumping or walking so that you can increase your blood flow in your legs. This is because the treated veins can take a few weeks to completely collapse and dissolve.
You may also be advised to wear compression socks. After your treatment, we will analyze your reaction and review the best steps to achieve the results that you desire.
Sclerotherapy is completely safe and has been practiced for years, with thousands of patients everywhere seeing successful results. There are concerns among some people that the procedure may be risky since veins carry blood around your body. However, this isn’t an issue because the amount of blood that these veins carry is so minimal that it is very easy to reroute the blood into other veins.
Removing a few, tiny veins from your body will not cause any harm to you since your body is able to reroute the flow of blood when a vein is subject to vein disease. There is no need to worry about the safety of the treatment with the medical professionals at the VeinGuard Heart & Vascular Center at the helm.
If you would like to find out more about sclerotherapy contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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