Sclerotherapy Treatment in Vancouver WA
Visible veins on your legs and other areas are signs of damaged veins. At NW Laser & Skin Care, Dr. Max Grishkevich offers sclerotherapy to treat spider veins and varicose veins.
What is Sclerotherapy Treatment?
Sclerotherapy is a quick and comfortable type of vein treatment that destroys damaged veins. Spider veins and varicose veins are caused by venous insufficiency. Veins in your body have small valves that help move blood back to your heart. With venous insufficiency, the valve doesn’t close all the way, and blood pools inside the vein causing it to swell. The walls of the vein may weaken, allowing blood to flow into surrounding tissues. Varicose and spider vein treatment aims to eliminate these damaged veins, and your body routes blood flow through healthier veins.
Depending on the size of the vein, venous insufficiency causes spider veins or varicose veins. Spider veins are very tiny visible veins that may be red, blue, or purple. They look like a spider web. Varicose veins are larger and bulge just below the surface of your skin.
What are the Benefits of Sclerotherapy Treatment?
Sclerotherapy is an advanced vein treatment that is more effective and comfortable than other techniques, such as vein stripping. It can be used for bulging veins in your legs and removing spider veins on your legs, face, and other areas of your body. One of the most significant benefits of sclerotherapy is that there is little to no downtime and recovery is fairly quick.
How Does Sclerotherapy Work?
The medical procedure for varicose and spider veins is performed in our office by Dr. Grishkevich, and no anesthesia is required for the treatment. A sclerosing solution is injected into the vein, and the sclerosant causes inflammation and scarring inside the vein. Over time, the vein breaks down completely, and the collapsed vein is absorbed by your body. Once the vein is blocked by the inflammation, your body will naturally re-route the blood supply to surrounding veins.
Hypertonic saline injections for spider veins and varicose veins are normally painless. Some people do notice mild cramping or stinging as the sclerosant solution is being injected, depending on the size and number of veins being injected. Hypertonic saline injections for varicose veins typically cause more discomfort than spider veins. If you do notice any discomfort from the injection of the sclerosing solution, Dr. Grishkevich can use local anesthesia to numb the area.
Sclerotherapy injections for spider veins typically take 15 to 30 minutes. A sclerotherapy procedure for varicose veins or multiple treatment areas may take 30 to 60 minutes.
Side Effects of Sclerotherapy
Although rare, there are some possible side effects of sclerotherapy vein treatment. Temporary side effects of sclerotherapy typically appear around the injection sites. You may notice that the skin is slightly raised and red. You may also develop bruising around the injection sites. Other short-term sclerotherapy side effects include small sores, dark spots or lines, and the appearance of tiny blood vessels. The symptoms may last several weeks.
Spider and varicose vein injection side effects that indicate complications from the procedure include blood clots, allergic reactions, and mild inflammation. The treatment area may feel warm, and you may have some discomfort. If you have these symptoms after varicose and spider vein treatment with a sclerosing agent, please contact us right away to schedule a follow-up appointment.
Post-Treatment Tips for Sclerotherapy
You need to maintain a low level of activity after your injections, such as walking, to reduce the risk of blood clots. We recommend that you have someone drive you home after the procedure. For the first 14 days, you should avoid any type of strenuous exercise after sclerotherapy, including lifting and running.
A compression garment is placed over the injection site to reduce swelling. You’ll need to keep the compression bandage in place for approximately two weeks. You can remove it briefly to check the area and clean your skin. Direct sunlight may affect the results of your vein treatment. The skin around the injection sites is very sensitive, and you may develop dark spots and uneven skin tone.
By following the sclerotherapy aftercare instructions carefully, you should see your spider veins disappear within three to six weeks. Varicose veins typically take more time to disappear, up to three to four months. Follow-up appointments are scheduled as part of the aftercare for vein injections. Dr. Grishkevich checks the progress, and he may recommend additional injections to eliminate the veins. If you experience any issues during the post-care stage of your sclerotherapy treatment, please contact us right away.
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