Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a procedure used to treat varicose and spider veins. A liquid solution is injected directly into troublesome veins, causing them to shrink. The veins close, forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins, then the collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually fades.

Sclerotherapy has been practised for about 100 years. The use of foamed sclerosants and ultrasound guidance being its more recent developments.

After sclerotherapy, treated veins tend to fade within a few weeks, although it may take a number of months to see the full results.

Sclerotherapy is one method, along with surgery, radiofrequence and laser ablations, for the treatment of :

In ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, ultrasound is used to visualise the underlying vein, then precisely monitor the delivery of the liquid solution injection into the correct location in the vein. Ultrasound guidance is often used after venous abnormalities have been diagnosed with duplex ultrasound.

Sclerotherapy is minimally invasive procedure, which is the gold standard for treatment of larger spider veins and smaller varicous veins. It can close the feeder veins under the skin that are causing the spider veins to form, thereby making recurrence of the spider veins in the treated area less likely. Multiple injections of the sclerosant are injected into the abnormal surface veins. The leg is then compressed with stockings which the patient wears for a week. Patients are encouraged to walk after the procedure.

Sclerotherapy is a fairly safe procedure, with few complications. 50% to 70% of the injected veins may be eliminated in a couple of sessions. in general, smaller veins will be gone in under a month. However, larger veins can take several months to respond.

Although this procedure works for most patients, there are some patients for whom this procedure will not produce successful results. For such patients, and for those for whom sclerotherapy is not appropriate, we can also offer laser treatment for leg veins.

We keep the sclerotherapy procedure safe by timing treatments appropriately for each patient.

After the procedure, most people return to their normal activities on the same day, wearing their stockings for a week following treatment. We avoid treating people in the month before or after long distance air travel, to minimise clotting risks.

Side effects of treatment are usually mild, and can be managed with simple measures. They can include itching, bruising, raised red areas at injections sites, aching and pulling sensations.

If you are interested in discussed whether sclerotherapy is the right treatment for your leg veins, please call our clinic on (02) 9553 9522 and schedule an appointment with our Dermatologist.