What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is an effective, minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of spider veins and varicose veins. It uses a liquid called a sclerosant that causes the walls of the unhealthy veins to collapse, sealing them off for good.
Spider veins and varicose veins are common problems that cause unsightly blemishes, most often on your legs. They develop when blood isn't flowing properly because of conditions like venous insufficiency (venous reflux) that allow blood to pool in the veins.
The Florida Lakes Vein Center team often carries out sclerotherapy to treat superficial veins such as reticular and spider veins, which are smaller than varicose veins. For larger veins, the team usually employs sclerotherapy after treating your legs with a best-in-practice therapy.
Spider vein treatment doesn't require image guidance. However, when larger veins such as tributaries, bigger reticular veins, and distal saphenous veins require treatment, the team uses state-of-the-art ultrasound-guided techniques.
What does ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy involve?
Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy is essentially the same procedure as regular sclerotherapy, with the addition of ultrasound imaging to help identify and accurately treat the veins.
Prior to the procedure, you have an ultrasound scan to locate the faulty valves in each leg and record their size. Your provider at Florida Lakes Vein Center then injects a sclerosant medication into the veins, making them dissolve.
Larger varicose veins are found deeper in the leg, so they're more challenging to treat by eye. Ultrasound guidance assists your provider as they navigate through your veins, ensuring optimal outcomes from your sclerotherapy treatment.
After the procedure, your body naturally absorbs the treated vein tissue and blood flow reroutes along healthy veins, improving circulation.
What happens after my sclerotherapy treatment?
Once your sclerotherapy is complete, your provider places a bandage over the injection site. Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure, so you can return home with little downtime required after your treatment.
Following your sclerotherapy, the veins appear darker than normal for a week or so, and you may experience minor bruising, swelling, and sensitivity for a few weeks. In most cases, after 6-8 weeks the treated varicose veins disappear.
The quick turnaround of sclerotherapy is a major benefit for patients with venous insufficiency and is an excellent option for treating varicose veins. Find out if sclerotherapy could help with your varicose veins by calling Florida Lakes Vein Center today or booking an appointment online.
