Current guidelines and studies

As the weather starts getting hotter, various blemishes come to light. Can we happily show ourselves in short skirts, shorts and swimwear in spring and summer or do spider veins spoil the appearance of our legs? Although the clearly visible dilated veins can be easily removed nowadays, sufferers are often uncertain about which treatment method would be the best for them. The current guideline of the European Society for Laser Dermatology (ESLD) clearly states that sclerotherapy remains the treatment of choice for spider veins on the legs, as it has proved to be more effective and gentle than laser therapy. Continue

Worldwide, surgical stripping is still the most common procedure used in the treatment of trunk varicose veins, although it can be associated with nerve damage, scarring, and a prolonged recovery phase. New minimally invasive techniques such as endovenous laser therapy, radiofrequency ablation, and foam sclerotherapy are increasingly being used as alternative methods. But which modes of treatment are clinically effective and cost-effective? Continue

In recent years, sclerotherapy has gained importance in the treatment of varicose veins of widely differing manifestations. The current guideline issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) confirms this by recommending foam sclerotherapy rather than surgical procedures for trunk varicose veins. Putting foam sclerotherapy before surgery for the first time creates a paradigm shift, as experts reckon that most trunk varicose veins worldwide are still treated surgically. Continue

The German guideline for doctors on the treatment of varicose disease with sclerotherapy was drawn up by the German Society of Phlebology and takes into account the currently available scientific literature on the treatment of varicose veins. Continue

The first European guidelines on the treatment of varicose veins were published in 2014 and adopted by 23 international phlebology societies. They take into account extensive scientific findings on the effectiveness of sclerotherapy and provide a European standard. Continue

New minimally invasive treatment modalities for varicose veins are becoming more and more popular. The recently published results of a comparative study, carried out in the Netherlands, confirm the great potential of foam sclerotherapy and highlight its advantages over surgical treatment. Continue