Sclerotherapy is a one of the ways to treat a spider and varicose vein. The treatment entails injecting a sclerosing solution through a very fine, thin needle directly into the spider vein or varicose vein, which causes it to close up and ultimately disappear.
Generally, sclerotherapy is used to remove a spider vein or varicose vein that is cosmetically unappealing. Also, your health care provider may recommend this treatment for varicose veins that are causing symptoms, such as:
- ulcers, sores
- achy leg pain
- burning, swelling, cramps
Potentially the only discomfort you may experience during your sclerotherapy treatment is a cramping sensation for a couple of minutes. And it may take up to six weeks for your spider vein to fade away and up to four months for a varicose vein to shrink out of sight.
After your sclerotherapy treatment you might experience some side effects, like:
- itching
- infection
- small scar
- injection site
- temporary tiny blood vessels develop
- raised red area at injection site for a few days
- tissue damage & skin ulcer caused by solution leakage
- brown lines or spots at injection site for several months
- varicose vein may become lumpy or hard for several months
The sclerosing agent does cause an allergic reaction for relatively few, particularly in those who have a history of allergies.
Prior to sclerotherapy treatment you’ll probably be instructed to avoid certain medications, for instance:
- some antibiotics
- aspirin, ibuprofen, other anti inflammatory drugs
- prednisone ~ check with prescribing health care provider before missing any doses
Treating a large varicose vein with sclerotherapy may not offer the best results. In this case, laser therapy or other treatments using intense heat may reap a better outcome.