Veins on the left are very visible before sclerotherapy and become diminished afterwards.
What is sclerotherapy?
80 Million Americans have some kind of venous disorder. (80% are cosmetic)
Although most do not have a major circulatory disorder, visible veins give the impression of age and poor health
Most people want treatment but are not aware of the safety, effectiveness, and lack of discomfort of sclerotherapy.
Varicose veins are 3 times more common in women than men.
Sclerotherapy is most often used to treat varicose veins in a safe and effective way.
how does sclerotherapy work?
An irritating salt solution, called the sclerosant, is injected directly into the vein or lymph vessel. The sclerosant irritates the vessel, causing it to collapse, stick together and the blood to clot. Over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue that fades from view.
What can you expect during treatment?
Treatment is performed in the privacy and comfort of Alea Aesthetics Medical Spa and administered by a Board Certified nurse practitioner.
No anesthesia is required
The salt solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected.
Procedure takes about 45 minutes depending on the number/size and location of veins.
Downtime
You may experience mild side effects after the procedure, such as itching, which can last for one or two days after the procedure. Also, you may experience raised, red areas at the injection site. These should disappear within a few days. Bruising may also occur around the injection site and can last several days or weeks.
You may be instructed to wear compression stockings after treatment.
Avoid the following for 48 hours after treatment:
Hot baths
Hot compresses
Whirlpools or saunas
Direct exposure to sunlight
Aspirin, ibuprofen, or other anti-inflammatory drugs
How effective is sclerotherapy?
Studies have shown that as many as 50%-80% of injected veins may be eliminated with each session of sclerotherapy. Less than 10% of the people who have sclerotherapy do not respond to the injections at all. If you don not respond to treatment at all, different solutions can be tried. While this procedure works for most people, results may vary and are not guaranteed.
How quickly the vein disappears depends on it’s initial size. Spider veins respond in 3-6 weeks and larger veins respond in 3-4 months. If the veins respond to treatment, they shouldn’t reappear. However, you may have new veins appearing at a similar rate. If need be, you may return for more injections at a later date.
Cost
This depends on the kind of injection solution used. We most commonly use Asclera (2mL), which costs $200.
who is a candidate?
Both men and women over the age of 21 can be candidates for the treatments described above.
Sclerotherapy contraindications:
-Allergic sensitivity to the sclerosant
-Pregnancy
-Infection
-Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) (especially patients in whom the deep system is occluded and the extremity drained through the superficial system)
-Severe arterial disease.
*Always talk to us if you have any concerns before a procedure.