Sclerotherapy

What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is an effective, minimally invasive treatment for spider veins and some larger varicose veins. Also called injection therapy, the procedure involves a sclerosing agent (typically a salt solution) being injected through a very fine needle directly into the affected vein. This solution causes the blood in the vein to clot by irritating the blood vessel’s lining and causing it to swell. Through this process, the body recirculates blood to a healthy vein, and the treated blood vessel becomes scar tissue, the appearance of which will fade gradually over time. This procedure has been used effectively since the 1930s, and its success rate is generally cited at between 50 – 80%.

How Can We Help?

In most cases, spider veins will see improvement in six weeks or less, while larger veins may take as long as four months to fully respond to treatment. Side effects of sclerotherapy may include itching, bruising, or redness around the injection site. Patients may also experience neovascularization — the development of new, small blood vessels that will typically fade within a year. Downtime is minimal and the procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, though you should avoid any strenuous activity for the following few days and compression stockings should be worn after the treatment.

Who to Contact

Dr. Charlie Jones and Dr. Susan Hagen are general, vascular and thoracic surgeons with over 30 years of experience. To make an appointment, please call 303-443-2123.

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