Spider veins are small veins beneath the skin that are often red, blue, or purple which appear on the legs and ruin your beach day. Although not typically painful, these veins can have a significant impact on the quality of life for many patients. At Second look aesthetics, we commonly hear stories about how the existence of these spider veins limits patients' choice of clothing and activities. The gold-standard for treating spider veins is sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is the injection of a liquid agent into the spider veins through a tiny needle. The needle is so small that a numbing agent is not even required. The introduced agent painlessly displaces the blood in the vein and interacts with proteins in the vein wall to seal it. Over the subsequent weeks after the injections, the spider veins begin to fade away. Although some patients may see complete response with one treatment session, several sessions may be necessary to provide the best possible results.
Spider Vein Sclerotherapy
Frequently Asked Questions
1.How your doctor determine if you need sclerotherapy?
We at Second lookk aesthetics, will first take a complete medical history, making special note of venous injury, clotting issues or previous venous disease. After examining your legs in a standing position, Dr.Thapliyal will identify visible varicose veins, reticular veins, or spider veins and will also note changes in color or skin texture which are associated with vein disease and/or blood clots. After a thorough examination, she will be able to determine whether sclerotherapy is right for you.
2.When is sclerotherapy recommended?
Many patients are bothered by the look of three types of enlarged vein: varicose veins, reticular veins, and spider veins.
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Varicose veins are thickened veins which appear twisted and rope-like.
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Reticular veins, also known as blue veins or feeder veins, are bluish-greenish veins are often seen behind the knee, which can feed into spider veins.
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Spider veins (telangiectasias) are thin, bluish reddish spiderlike network which appear on the surface of the skin, usually on the legs but sometimes on the face and pelvis.
Sclerotherapy remains one of the most successful and often chosen treatment for small to medium varicose veins and spider veins.
3.How is sclerotherapy performed?
Sclerotherapy is considered a simple procedure which can be done in your doctor’s office, without anesthesia. It can take as little as 15 minutes, or up to one hour depending on how many veins are being treated in a session. Your doctor will sterilize the injection with alcohol before starting the procedure. While you lie comfortably on your back with your legs slightly elevated, your doctor will inject a chemical or a mix of chemicals directly into your vein using a small needle. These chemicals will irritate the cell lining and cause inflammation and scarring of the vein wall. Lidocaine or other numbing agents can be mixed in with the sclerant to dull the discomfort.
4.What should I expect after the treatment? Any down time?
After injection, your vein may look swollen or red, which indicates that the sclerant solution is working. Each injection site will be pressed with gauze or other compression agents. After the procedure is complete, you will be expected to wear compression garments or stockings to encourage circulation.Walking and mild exercise are often recommended to keep your blood circulating after treatment. You can generally expect to return to work and normal activity the same day as the procedure
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