Sclerotherapy
is a highly successful treatment of spider and varicose
veins. During the procedure, a sclerosing solution is
injected into the vein through a very fine needle. A
“flushing” of the vein occurs and then over
a 4-6 week period the vein gradually disappears.
“Are there
any side effects?”
Sclerotherapy has been amazingly free of side effects.
There is a very low incidence of hyper-pigmentation
of the skin at the site of the injection or at the site
of the vein being treated. This pigmentation usually
disappears over a period of time. Occasionally a small
skin ulcer can appear at the sits of injection; however,
this also will resolve over a period of time. It is
possible to experience slight brusing at the sites of
the injections.
“Will sclerotherapy
work for my veins?”
Most spider veins and varicose veins do respond to sclerotherapy.
Complete correction of the treated area is not expected
on the first treatment. In most cases, about 50-70%
of treated vessels will respond over a period of three
to four treatments. However, new veins may appear and
additional treatments may be necessary to achieve optimal
results. Most patients experience 60-80% overall improvement
in the appearance of the veins.
“Will my
insurance pay for sclerotherapy treatments?”
The cost of sclerotherapy depends on the number of treatments
required. Since almost all insurances consider the treatment
of varicose veins to be a cosmetic procedure, it will
most likely not be covered by your insurance.
“Are there other vein
treatments available?”
Yes. There are some lasers that are used to treat veins
that are resistant to sclerotherapy. There is also a
new surgical procedure called “ambulatory phlebectomy”
that is used to treat larger, bulging varicose veins.
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