Surface Sclerotherapy

Surface sclerotherapy is the conventional form of sclerotherapy. It is a minimally-invasive vein treatment developed in Europe over 40 years ago to treat varicose veins and spider veins.

The procedure is simple and nearly painless, typically lasting approximately 30 minutes. It requires the vein care physician to inject the undesired vein with a solution that closes it completely. At Elite Vein Specialists, the solution is comprised of only FDA-approved drugs. Guidance methods may be employed to help ensure accuracy during the injection, such as ultrasound guiding for deeper sources of reflux and Veinlite guiding for superficial spiders and feeder vessels.

This procedure treats varicose and spider veins and the blue-green reticular veins that are often the root cause of vein disease. Surface sclerotherapy has successfully treated diseased veins on the legs, hands, breasts, and small spiders on the shoulders or the back.

Sclerotherapy can be used on candidates who want to eliminate their varicose and spider veins, along with the underlying cause of those vein diseases. Patients with leg fatigue or pain due to vein disease can benefit significantly from surface sclerotherapy. Traditional sclerotherapy is indicated when the diseased and feeder veins are visible on the skin’s surface. For better precision, guiding mechanisms may be used to discern where treatment is necessary.

This procedure does not produce immediate results, so candidates must have patience when assessing their results. Desired results may not be seen for up to two months after the treatment.

Surface sclerotherapy is a quick and minimally-invasive procedure, so the recovery is minimal. Unlike surgical vein stripping, there is virtually no downtime for traditional sclerotherapy. Most patients are up and moving directly same the procedure and can return to work the next day.

Your physician will recommend wearing compression bandages or stockings for about a week after the procedure to promote healthy blood flow and circulation and decrease the risk of blood clots in untreated veins. When treating more prominent varicose veins, your physician will probably require using compression garments. Light exercise and walking, starting the day after the surgery, are also encouraged to aid circulation.

Blood clots and scabs will occur in the closed vein and can present as lumps under the skin surface. These blood clots are not dangerous and resolve as your body heals the scabs. Discoloration and tenderness may occur as the scabs heal.

Sclerotherapy complications are minimal when an experienced vein specialist performs the procedure. Risks include discoloration of the vein under the skin, bruising or inflammation at the injection site, and allergic reactions from ingredients in the solution.

Matting can also occur, where your body forms many tiny blood vessels around the injection site. Matting will usually resolve independently but sometimes requires additional injections to relieve.