The arrival of spring means it’s time for those legs to come out and play! Don’ t let spider veins hold you back from kicking up those bare heels and enjoying the season. Sclerotherapy is a safe, effective and virtually painless way to eliminate this annoying problem. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, at least half of all women develop small clusters of red, blue or purple veins that appear on the thighs, calves and ankles.
In some women, spider veins become noticeable in their early 20s. For others, the veins may not become obvious until they reach their 40s. Men get spider veins, too. However, usually they are concealed by hair growth on the leg. A number of factors may contribute to the development of spider veins in the legs, including heredity, pregnancy, hormonal shifts, weight gain, and occupations or activities that require prolonged sitting or standing, such as running, professional nursing, etc.
Sclerotherapy can be a more effective and longer-lasting vein solution than laser treatments, since it gets to the source of the spider veins and eradicates them completely. It requires no anesthesia and is usually performed in an outpatient setting. Two or more sessions, each lasting about 20 to 30 minutes, are usually required to obtain optimal results. Although everyone is different, you can generally expect to receive one injection for every inch of spider vein that is treated. Bright light and magnification may be used to ensure maximum precision while the skin is held taut to inject sclerosing solution.
A cotton ball and compression tape is often applied to each injection site as it is finished. After treatment, you may be instructed to wear support hose to help your legs heal. You may feel some cramping in your legs for the first day or two after treatment. This discomfort is temporary and usually doesn’t require prescription medication.
Click here for animation showing how sclerotherapy works.
For more information or to make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Colgrove, call (770) 955-9000.