Varicose and spider veins are a condition that may not be life threatening but it can give you a lot of unnecessary attention. There are many ways to treat it and one of the effective way is through Sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy most often is used to treat small varicose veins.
What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is injecting a solution into the veins directly. This method makes the vein to scar and then collapse. This forces the blood to reroute through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is then reabsorbed into local tissue which eventually fades away.
Also Read - Facts about Spider Veins and Ways to Get Rid Of It Here
Before Sclerotherapy procedure:
The doctor will check certain things and they are:
- Medical history to check for conditions related to heart
- Allergies
- Supplements or medications you consume
- Smoking habits as it can increase your risk of blood clots
- Previous varicose veins treatment and its results.
- Patients will be screened with the help of special ultrasound techniques in order to determine the site of venous disease prior to the treatment. For 24 hours before the procedure, you should avoid shaving or application of any lotion on the legs. Wear very comfortable and loose clothes on the day of your treatment.
Procedure:
The procedure takes around 15 to 30 minutes. The number of veins injected in each session may vary as it completely depends on the location and size of the veins along with the medical condition of the person. Sclerotherapy will be performed in the doctor’s office by a dermatologist or a surgeon. It requires you to not do any aerobic activity for a few days post the procedure. As the sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure, the patient will be able to leave the place the same day of the treatment.
When is Sclerotherapy done?
The Sclerotherapy is mainly done to improve the appearance of varicose and spider veins. Other than that it can treat related symptoms like
- Swelling
- Burning
- Night cramps
- Aching
Benefits of sclerotherapy:
The patients suffering from venous insufficiency, this treatment can help in improving the venous blood flow and it limits chronic swelling.
Suitable candidates for sclerotherapy:
People who have venous insufficiency, the ones who have a disease that is poorly controlled with compression stockings and also the ones who are not obese are the ideal candidates for sclerotherapy.
Healing:
The patients will be required to wear compression dressings for one to three weeks post the treatment. A follow-up visit in two weeks enables the evacuation of blood clots in larger veins. It will improve the prognosis as well as the appearance.
Side Effects of Sclerotherapy:
- Itching may be there post the Sclerotherapy procedure
- Small skin sores
- Bruising
- Multiple tiny red blood vessels
- Raised red areas
- Darkened skin in the form of spots or lines
The above side effects are the ones that will go away after a few days. There are other side effects that are less common and may need to be treated and they are the following:
- Blood clot: Sometimes blood clot may travel towards a deeper vein in your leg. This is called deep vein thrombosis and it may carry a risk of pulmonary embolism, which is an emergency situation as the clot may travel all the way from your leg to your lungs and block a vital artery.
- Inflammation: There can be mild inflammation which will cause swelling, discomfort and warmth around the site of injection.
- Air bubbles: Small air bubbles may develop in the blood stream sometimes which may be detected with symptoms like headache, nausea, visual disturbances and coughing.
- Allergic reaction: There can be certain allergic reaction to the solution that is used for the treatment however this is not a common situation.
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