What are spider veins?
Spider veins are the presence of red or blue veins protruding outside the skin, most commonly found on the legs. These are often caused by heredity, hormone imbalances, sun exposure, aging and much more. These factors cause a type of blockage or clogging along veins causing them to be exposed and show through the skin.
The best course of treatment for spider veins is generally sclerotherapy.
What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure done by your healthcare provider to treat uncomplicated spider veins and uncomplicated reticular veins. The treatment involves the injection of a solution into the affected veins.
The solution causes the walls of the veins to become irritated and breakdown, causing the vein to essentially shrink and disappear into the body. The larger surrounding veins essentially “pickup the slack” for the lost vein.
This causes the vein, which was once protruding out of the skin, to no longer be visible and the presence of unsightly spider veins to be gone!
How long does the procedure take?
Typically, sclerotherapy procedures are done within a few minutes but in extreme cases can take anywhere from 15-45 minutes to complete.
Side effects and downtime?
Following your procedure, you should avoid strenuous exercise for the nect 2-3 days as well as:
- Over-exposure to the sun
- Long flights, and changes in altitude.
- Hot baths or saunas.
Generally, patients can get back to their normal schedule within a few days however it is best to avoid wear loose clothes and apply sunscreen as your skin is sensitive.
Sclerotherapy lasts for a long time, however, in your specific case, we may recommend extra sessions in the following months (for severe cases). Contact us today to schedule your consult and see if sclerotherapy is right for you!
