Sclerotherapy is a procedure used to eliminate varicose and spider veins. It involves the injection of a solution directly into the vein. The solution irritates the vessel wall lining causing the vein wall to swell and stick together eventually causing the vein to turn into microscopic scar tissue that fades over time. It is considered the gold standard of vein treatment for leg veins less than 4 mm in diameter. Sclerotherapy is a well-proven treatment for vein disease and has been in use since the 1930’s.
Before and 2 Months Following Treatment
Studies have shown that as many as 50% - 80% of injected veins may be eliminated with each session of sclerotherapy. Less than 10% of the people who have sclerotherapy do not respond to the injections at all. In these instances a different solution can be tried. Although this procedure works for most patients, there are no guarantees for success.

There are several types of solutions used in sclerotherapy. We prefer to use the most common agent which is relatively painless, gives excellent results and causes little to no scarring in most individuals. Each client is assessed individualy as history of certain drug allergies may affect the solution used.

Injections are done using a very fine needle directly into the vein. Patients may feel mild discomfort and cramping for one or two minutes especially if larger veins are injected. It is not uncommon for the areas to feel itchy during and post treatment sometimes lasting up to two days. Bruising may occur around the injection sites.

Other side effects include:
�œ Larger veins that have been injected may become lumpy and hard and may require several months to dissolve and fade.
�œ Brown lines or spots may appear at the vein site. In most cases, they disappear within three to six months.
�œ Neovascularization, or the temporary development of new, tiny blood vessels may occur at the site of sclerotherapy treatment. These tiny veins can appear days or weeks after the procedure, but should fade within three to twelve months without further treatment.

Compression
Compression usually in the form of stockings serves several important functions. Compression of the treated vessel decreases the chance of the vessel reopening, decreases the incidence of hyperpigmentation, and decreases the inflammation that can cause matting, increases blood flow which thereby decreases the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Immediately after treatment, compression helps the injected vein walls to stick together which leads to increased wall damage. Research has shown that wearing the hose will lead to a better result with less unwanted side effects.

Avisa Medical Clinic
2100 Proctor Rd  ~  Sarasota, Florida 34231
941-927-3500  ~ AvisaMedical@aol.com