Treating Your Varicose Veins: What You Should Know About Sclerotherapy

Do varicose veins mar the appearance of your legs? Do you feel you need to wear long pants even when it’s warm outside? You may also have spider veins, which are smaller veins close to the skin. But neither have to limit your lifestyle or dictate how you dress.

Our vein specialists with REDI Diagnostics Corp in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, offer various options to treat those varicose and spider veins. The option we recommend for you is in part dependent on any medical conditions you may have. One excellent option is sclerotherapy. 

What is sclerotherapy? 

Sclerotherapy is a safe, minimally invasive treatment for varicose and spider veins. The procedure usually takes about 30-45 minutes. 

Our staff cleans the area to be treated. Your vein specialist injects a salt solution into your vein. The solution causes the lining of the blood vessel to come apart, and the blood to clot. Over a period of weeks or months, depending on how large the vein is, the blood vessel becomes scar tissue and is no longer a visible vein. 

How effective is sclerotherapy? 

Sclerotherapy is considered the best of the best in varicose and spider vein treatment. More than 90% of patients who have sclerotherapy respond to the treatment. If sclerotherapy doesn’t work for you, there are other treatment options as well. 

You may need more than one treatment, but research indicates that 50-80% of the veins treated at a sclerotherapy session will disappear. 

When will I see results from sclerotherapy?

Varicose veins usually fade from view in 12-16 weeks. Smaller spider veins disappear more quickly, usually in 3-6 weeks. 

Are my varicose veins gone for good after sclerotherapy? 

The veins that we treat don’t reappear. You may or may not see new veins appear in the future. We can administer injections again if new veins do appear. 

You can take steps to minimize varicose veins. Regular exercise helps keep blood flowing through your veins. If you can eliminate high heels, you may find fewer varicose veins. Avoid tight clothing that restricts blood flow, and make it a practice to elevate your legs when you can during the day. 

Who is a candidate for sclerotherapy?

Your physician at REDI Diagnostic Corp reviews your medical history and medications and determines whether sclerotherapy is the right treatment for you. You need to be ambulatory for the procedure. Two contraindications are pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

Sclerotherapy is very effective for medium-sized varicose veins and spider veins. If your varicose veins are very large and bulge out from your skin with a rope-like appearance, other treatments may be advised.  

If you’ve had a blood clot, your doctor researches the cause of the clot and its severity to determine which treatment is safe for you. 

Call our office or book an appointment online today for expert treatment for your varicose and spider veins.