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You’ve seen them before: thin red or blue branching veins on legs or faces. If you have them, you may be unhappy about the way they seem to age you — even if you’re relatively young. You may try to cover them up with long

skirts or pants, even in the hottest part of the summer. That’s no fun!

But there’s no need to live with unattractive spider veins. They’re easily removed through a procedure called sclerotherapy. In a session lasting from 15 to 60 minutes, we can begin to eradicate those unattractive veins.

Sclerotherapy is a proven procedure that has been used since the 1930s.

Should I consider spider vein treatment?

You may want to consider sclerotherapy if:

• You have visible veins on your legs or thighs that have a branching or weblike pattern.
• You have a pattern of branching veins on your face that you try to conceal.
• You feel your spider veins are a sign of aging that you’d like to eliminate.
• You avoid wearing shorts or swimsuits because you don’t want others to see your spider veins.
• You use makeup to camouflage unsightly branching veins on your face.

Am I a good candidate for spider vein treatment?

If you are in good general health and have a positive attitude and realistic expectations, it’s likely that you’re a good candidate for sclerotherapy.

Are there any conditions that would rule out sclerotherapy?

You will have a medical evaluation beforehand to make sure it’s safe for you to have the procedure. There are a few conditions that would rule out sclerotherapy:

• Pulmonary emboli.
• Hypercoagulable states.
• Allergy to the sclerosing agents.

How is spider vein treatment done?

Sclerotherapy is effective for medium-sized blood vessels (more than 3 millimeters in diameter). The procedure is done in our office. You won’t need anesthesia. The only discomfort you’ll feel will be the sensation of small needle pricks from the injections.

A solution (generally saline) will be injected into the vein with a micro-needle. You may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes when larger veins are injected; but generally, the only discomfort you’ll feel will be the sensation of small needle pricks from the injections.

The solution causes the vein to collapse, turn white, and then gradually disappear. This forces the blood to go through healthier veins instead. The collapsed vein is reabsorbed into the surrounding tissue. The number of veins injected in one session depends on the size and location of the veins and your general medical condition.

There is no downtime. After the treatment, you will be instructed to wear compression stockings for a few weeks to compress the veins. Your doctor may advise you not to do strenuous exercise for some time, so that the area can heal completely.

Will I need more than one procedure?

All the veins will not respond to the first treatment, so more than one treatment is often required. Also, since spider veins are a progressive condition, you can expect new spider veins to form over time, which may require treatment every few years to maintain the improvement.

Also smaller spider veins may respond better with a laser treatment. Sclerotherapy usually works best for bigger veins but our new Excel V+ laser can take care of the smaller “feeder” veins. The specific treatment that is best for you may be different from that of someone else with the same vein problems. That’s why it’s important to choose an experienced professional with vein treatment like the nurses in our practice.

How much will it cost?

Generally, a sclerotherapy procedure costs around $500. Our office staff can tell you the exact cost you can expect. The procedure is not covered by Medicare, but your health insurance may cover part of the cost. After your appointment with your surgeon, our office can contact your insurance company on your behalf to find out whether insurance coverage is possible.

What kind of follow-up is needed?

For the most beautiful and healthy outcome, you’ll need to return to our office for follow-up evaluation and whenever you notice any changes in your treatment areas. Of course, you can always contact us with any questions or concerns.