What Is Sclerotherapy?
Jun 14, 2020
The formation of varicose or spider veins is often associated with getting older. These dark blue, red, or purple veins appear in branchlike formations, usually on the extremities but sometimes on the face, and can cause insecurity...
The formation of varicose or spider veins is often associated with getting older. These dark blue, red, or purple veins appear in branchlike formations, usually on the extremities but sometimes on the face, and can cause insecurity and loss of confidence as well as pain, tiredness, aching, and leg heaviness. Colorado Skin & Vein are your vascular experts in the greater Denver area, here to see you through the vascular health for years to come.
How Do Spider and Varicose Veins Form?
Valves within the veins help facilitate blood flow even against gravity, but when these valves malfunction, blood can pool or even backflow, resulting in varicose veins that twist and bulge. Smaller areas of backflow cause spider veins, which are close to the surface and dark blue, red, or purple. Late stage venous insufficiency can result in irreversible skin and soft tissue damage and poor wound healing. While spider vein treatment is mostly considered cosmetic, they can be a sign of a greater underlying health concern. Varicose veins are a bigger threat to patient health and with symptoms such as pain, swelling, tiredness, aching, Restless Leg Syndrome, cramps, skin discoloration, and ulcers.
There are several treatments for both spider and varicose veins, but the gold standard has become sclerotherapy, a minimally invasive treatment that resolves insufficient spider veins and smaller varicose veins before they have the chance to worsen.
Am I a Good Candidate?
Those who most benefit from sclerotherapy are between 30-60 years of age with spider or small varicose veins who are not pregnant or less than 3 months post-childbirth. Those with a history of blood clotting may require alternative vascular treatment. A consultation at Colorado Skin & Vein can provide the best treatment options for your individual vascular condition.
REQUEST A CONSULTATION
Simply fill out the form on this page, and one of our highly trained staff members at Colorado Skin & Vein will reach out to your promptly to schedule your appointment.
What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is minimally invasive, involving injections of a sclerosing solution into the diseased veins. This solution irritates the lining of the affected vessels, causing them to become sticky and collapse. The body then absorbs the dysfunctional veins and reroutes the blood supply to healthier nearby vessels. Over time, the damaged veins disappear and you’re left with the healthy vascular flow and smooth skin without discoloration, pain, swelling, or other symptoms.
You may be required to undergo an ultrasound before the sclerosing agent is injected to ensure your particular condition is not a symptom of greater vascular concern. Even small bulging varicose veins can be a sign of greater health issues that need to be addressed. Compression stockings after your treatment will be necessary for up to 2-3 weeks following your treatment. After that, they’re recommended at night for a few more weeks.
When Will I See Results?
The body takes time to absorb the collapsed vessels, so while you may see some immediate improvement with tiny spider veins, larger insufficiencies will take 3-6 weeks to display definitive results. Some may require even longer, up to 4 months, and the application of multiple treatments to resolve. Collapsed veins generally don’t return, but sclerotherapy does not prevent the possibility of new dysfunctional vein formation.
Dr. David Verebelyi, a diplomat for the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine and a fellow for the American Society for Laser Surgery and Medicine, is Colorado’s premier physician for the treatment of varicose and spider veins. Let us help you regain vascular health today.
"I am so incredibly thrilled with the care and treatment I received at Colorado Skin and Vein. As a younger woman seeking treatment for varicose and spider veins, I was nervous about not being taken seriously or being upsold, and I was so impressed by the professionalism and integrity that I experienced at Colorado Skin and Vein. I saw both Dr. Verebelyi for diagnosis and Abbey Jones for treatment, and was impressed with them both. Abbey is an especially rare gem of a human. She is both so skilled and so caring, and she made sclerotherapy feel like actual therapy. I wish I had before and after pictures of my legs, because the results from just two treatments are truly night and day, and Abbey’s bedside manner is the absolute best of the best. Not only was this the best money I’ve ever spent, but I am SO glad that I spent it here specifically. You all are wonderful at what you do, and I’m very grateful for you."
MK
Take the First Step – Request A Consultation
To request your complimentary consultation with us, please call (303) 683-3235 or fill out our online contact form today. Colorado Skin & Vein serves Englewood and the greater Denver, CO area.