Treatment of spider veins with sclerotherapy

How micro-sclerotherapy is performed

How micro-sclerotherapy is performed

Sclerotherapy of spider veins according to the treatment plan

Once the diagnosis has been made, your doctor will draw up a treatment plan and discuss it with you. This discussion will include how the treatment will be carried out as well as information on the possible risks and chances of success.

The treatment itself is carried out when you are lying down. The area of skin to be treated will be disinfected before the injection.

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive and relatively painless treatment that does not require any anaesthetic. A small prick from the injection needle is the only thing that can be felt, sometimes followed by a brief burning sensation as the sclerosant successfully reacts with the walls of the affected veins. The needles used for micro-sclerotherapy are much finer than, for example, those used for taking blood.

During treatment, the veins in the vicinity of the injection site lose their colour, as the colourless sclerosant forces the blood out of the vein.

 

Micro-sclerotherapy of spider veins, with immediate loss of colour after the injection

Before micro-sclerotherapy of spider veins

Micro-sclerotherapy of spider veins, with immediate loss of colour after the injection

Micro-sclerotherapy of spider veins, with immediate loss of colour after the injection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, this loss of colour is not yet permanent. After this initial colour loss, the reaction of the sclerosant with the vein wall may cause transient reddening of the treated area immediately afterwards. This is completely normal, so do not be worried by it. You will not see the final results of treatment for a few weeks at least.

Many doctors use a small portable vein finder to see the superficial veins more easily.

Micro-sclerotherapy with a portable vein finder

Before micro-sclerotherapy with a portable vein finder

Micro-sclerotherapy with a portable vein finder

After micro-sclerotherapy with a portable vein finder

 

Directly after the injection, a small pressure pad – such as a tightly rolled cotton wool ball or compress – will be fixed over the treated vein with an adhesive strip or film.
A compression stocking is then applied, which should normally be worn continuously for 24 hours; in other words, you must also keep it on overnight. The pressure pad over the vein will be removed soon after treatment, but compression stockings are required during the day for several days or even up to two weeks.

Fixing a pressure pad over the treated veins

Fixing a pressure pad over the treated veins

Putting on a compression stocking using a donning aid after sclerotherapy

Putting on a compression stocking using a donning aid

 

As a rule, you will have to come back for a check-up 1-2 weeks after treatment.

More than one treatment session may be needed, depending on the severity and extent of the small varicose veins. An individual session usually lasts only 5-20 minutes. The first session is often a bit longer on account of the preliminary examinations that the doctor will perform before starting treatment.