How is sclerotherapy performed?
Sclerotherapy is performed in the office by our physician, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse in about 30 minutes. Your provider will discuss which areas are bothersome to you to ensure we are meeting your personalized treatment goals. They will then clean the area with alcohol before and throughout the procedure. While listening to music, chatting with your provider, and lying comfortably on our treatment bed, the provider will inject the sclerosing agent directly into the vein using our tiniest needle. The injected solution will irritate the problematic veins causing them to collapse and close over time. Your body will redirect blood through healthy veins to improve circulation and alleviate the symptoms you may be experiencing.

What is recovery like after sclerotherapy?
Some of the treated areas may be tender to touch after your sclerotherapy procedure, but typically you are able to go back to your normal activities right away. After the treatment, your provider will wrap your leg in an ACE bandage, which you will wear for the following twenty four hours. For seven days after sclerotherapy, you will have to wear compression stockings to ensure that the veins close completely. To help the veins heal and achieve optimal results, please avoid any weightlifting or heavy exercise for those seven days as well. Light cardio activity is fine, in fact walking twenty to thirty minutes a day is highly encouraged. Before you leave your sclerotherapy appointment, we will get you scheduled for a follow up appointment with the doctor or nurse practitioner.

When will I see results?
It is not uncommon to be bruised after the procedure, some patients experience bruising just along the treated veins while others have it over larger areas of their legs. Results are typically seen four to six weeks after treatment, although it can be longer for larger veins. Many people report that their legs feel better within a week after the procedure, even if the treated veins are still bruised.

Am I a candidate for sclerotherapy?
During your initial consultation with the doctor or nurse practitioner we will review your symptoms, conservative treatment, and medical history. A thorough assessment of the veins in your legs will be performed. A screening ultrasound may also be scheduled if venous reflux is suspected. After gathering all this information, the provider will discuss the best treatment option for you.

What are the risks?
The risks are minimal after sclerotherapy. Bruising and some discomfort, typically at the injection site, are the most common side effects. Some patients may develop darkening of the skin along the treated vein, called hyperpigmentation, which will resolve by itself usually over weeks to a few months. More severe side effects such as temporary visual changes, headaches, and lightheadedness are very rare.