Sclerotherapy Treatment

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical treatment for removing thread veins from the legs. Thread veins (or spider veins and varicose veins) are the tiny red or blue vessels that run close to the surface of the skin, particularly on the legs and are most commonly found on the thighs, around the knees, on the calves and around the ankles.

They can arrive without warning and their presence can be attributed to various factors such as lifestyle, diet, excessive exposure to sun and hereditary factors, but the actual cause is not known. Most people develop thread veins as they age. Though they affect males and females, they are more commonly found in women.

The Sclerotherapy treatment process involves injecting a solution into the vein using a very fine needle. This will eventually cause the vein to collapse and then in turn fade away. Smaller thread veins are easier to treat; therefore it is better to have Sclerotherapy treatment at its early stages. The treatment can help reduce the appearance of veins and also ease the dull throbbing often associated with thread veins.

The number of treatments required depends entirely on the patient, the conditions severity and the area to be treated. A cosmetic doctor will always advise you on this before beginning the process. Typically side effects are minor, and confined to the area which has been treated, these can include small-inflamed patches that may be visible which will subside within a few days. There may also be some skin discolouration but this will fade away gradually over a few months.

After treatment you will typically be required to wear a support stocking or some other kind of pressure garment. This is normally required for about a week, and can compromise the effectiveness of the treatment if not worn. You will be able, and encouraged, to walk as usual, as this help circulation and the removal of the leg veins into the bloodstream, though strenuous exercise should be avoided whilst wearing the support garment.

Foam Sclerotherapy Treatment

Foam Sclerotherapy is an alternative method of standard Sclerotherapy. This procedure uses a medicinal foam and ultra sound technology to treat longer and larger veins. Foam Sclerotherapy is still an injection procedure, but the method behind it is different. After injection, the foam rapidly spreads along the vein and is followed using the ultrasound scanning machine. When it reaches the upper end of the vein being treated, firm pressure is applied to the vein to flatten it. More foam is then massaged back into the veins. The leg is then bandaged.