Do you have bulging, twisted veins that make you feel self-conscious? Do you suffer from redness, itchiness, or other frustrating side effects of disordered veins? If so, you may be a good candidate for sclerotherapy at VENUS Vein Clinic in Omaha, NE. There are a number of safe, effective ways to treat varicose and spider veins. Today, we’re focusing on one of them. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about sclerosant vein therapy.
How Does Sclerotherapy Work?
Sclerotherapy works in just a couple of quick, painless steps. First, your area of concern is inspected to verify that there is no significant skin irritation. If you are free from irritation in the targeted area, we will use a medical-grade antiseptic to sterilize the area. This mitigates the risk of infection. After your skin is cleaned, we will use a tiny tool to administer an FDA-approved solution into the walls of the targeted veins.
How Long Will My Treatment Take?
You shouldn’t be surprised if your treatment session takes between a quarter of an hour and half an hour to complete. However, sessions can take longer than 30 minutes to complete if you have a large number of severely twisted, large varicose veins in multiple areas. We will give you a better idea regarding how long you should expect your session to take once we have discussed and evaluated your concerns.
How Quickly Does This Treatment Work?
You can generally expect to see the results of your treatment in three to six weeks if you are using sclerotherapy to target small varicose veins or spider veins. If you are targeting large varicose veins with this treatment, it may take three to four months for your final results to become apparent.
We’ll give you a better idea of how quickly you can expect to see your desired results during your initial consultation. Several factors affect how long it will take your final results to become apparent, including how many treatment sessions you need to destroy your disordered veins fully. In the case of small disordered veins, you should only expect to need one quick treatment session.
What Else Can I Expect After My Treatment Session?
You can expect very little recovery requirements after your non-surgical disordered vein treatment. Nonetheless, there are some guidelines you will need to follow. For example, you will need to avoid strenuous exercise and excessive heat during the first three days following your treatment session. You will also need to minimize UV exposure during this time. If you need to expose your skin to sunlight, make sure you apply a highly effective sun protectant.
Note, it is highly advisable that you wear a prescription-strength compression garment during the first two weeks following the administration of your sclerosant injections. The pressure will help to support your circulatory system significantly, helping you see your results quite a bit faster. For example, if you are having varicose veins in your legs treated, you should strongly consider getting prescription-strength compression stockings.
How Long Will the Results of My Treatment Last?
The results of sclerotherapy are considered permanent. Once the treated veins have starved to death and been absorbed by surrounding tissues, they will not grow back. However, there is a chance that you will develop spider or varicose veins again in the future. There are a number of factors that can cause healthy veins to become disordered. Here’s a closer look.
Factors You Can’t Change
Among the risk factors of developing disordered veins that you can’t change are your family medical history and age. If your risk of future disordered veins is high based on one or both of these factors, do your best to make sure you’re not affected by the risk factors we’ll mention below.
Factors You Can Change
A sedentary lifestyle is one significant risk factor that you probably have control over. If your job requires you to sit or stand in one place for long periods of time, do your best to get plenty of moderate exercise. Other risk factors include obesity and a poor diet.
How Will I Need to Prepare for My Treatment Session?
We’ll give you a complete rundown on how you’ll need to prepare during your initial consultation. Luckily, preparation is minimal due to the non-invasive nature of the treatment. One of the most important things you will need to do to prepare is to eat and hydrate well in advance of your scheduled appointment. It is also important to refrain from consuming anything that will elevate your blood pressure or affect your blood’s ability to clot. Examples include:
- Alcohol
- Products containing nicotine
- Excess sodium
- Excess caffeine
- Ginkgo biloba supplements
- Vitamin E supplements
- Fish oil supplements
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that sclerotherapy works by irritating your disordered vein walls until they collapse in on themselves. After a period of time, this results in the vein starving to death. After a bit more time, the dead tissue is absorbed by surrounding tissues. If you think this safe, effective treatment is right for you, contact us today at VENUS Vein Clinic in Omaha, NE to schedule an initial evaluation and find out for sure.