What’s the Process of Sclerotherapy and Will It Hurt?

Do you have painful varicose veins or want to eliminate the look of spider veins on your thighs, calves, ankles, feet? You aren’t alone. Varicose veins will affect nearly 20% of adults in the U.S. at one point during their lives.

At Central Florida Vein and Vascular Center, our highly trained, board-certified surgeons will help you determine the cause of your painful or bothersome varicose or spider veins and offer you a patient-centered approach to eliminating them.

How Does Sclerotherapy Work?

Sclerotherapy is a simple, safe and fast treatment for varicose and spider veins. It involves a medication called sclerosant — polidocanol, sotradecola or a hypertonic saline solution — that is injected into the varicose or spider veins.

The solution irritates the veins, causing them to collapse, scar and eventually close, so your blood reroutes to unaffected veins. Your body will eventually absorb the damaged veins, making them disappear.

Sclerotherapy Treatment at Central Florida Vein and Vascular Center

All of our procedures at Central Florida Vein and Vascular Center are minimally invasive, so we can perform your sclerotherapy treatment within our office. The procedure usually takes from 30 minutes to one hour. You can resume your typical, light-duty activity within the same day.

After your initial consultation, one of our team members will inspect your veins via an ultrasound probe. We’ll wipe down the area with a surgical prep solution to eliminate bacteria. Then, we’ll inject a sclerosant into the affected veins, either using ultrasound guidance for deeper veins or by usual inspection for surface veins.

You may need to schedule a few sessions with us, depending on the number of varicose or spider veins you want to target. As with any other medication, we can only safely administer a certain amount of sclerosant within a session.

Many of our patients aren’t aware that an underlying medical condition may be causing their varicose or spider veins. In these cases, they are pleased to find out their insurance often covers their sclerotherapy treatment due to the medical nature of their case.

What to Avoid After Sclerotherapy

Be sure to not take anti-inflammatory medications for at least 48 hours after your sclerotherapy treatment. We also recommend avoiding:

• Hot baths or showers.
• Saunas.
• Sun exposure.
• Rigorous exercise.
• Applying lotion.

Is Sclerotherapy Painful?

Generally, our patients don’t experience pain during their sclerotherapy treatment. All you’ll feel is a needle pinch. In some cases, you may have mild cramping near the injection site, especially for larger veins.

You may also experience mild discomfort or side effects afterward like bruising, headaches, skin discoloration or tenderness.

Is Sclerotherapy Permanent?

Sclerotherapy results are permanent. Once your varicose or spider veins collapse and are reabsorbed by your body, they will not come back.

However, it is important to remember other veins can develop over time. Once you have had troublesome veins, you are more likely over time to develop a recurrence. Recurrences usually only require a small amount of treatment.

Schedule Your Consultation With Us Today

Are you considering sclerotherapy to eliminate your varicose or spider veins? At Central Florida Vein and Vascular Center, our friendly, experienced team will work with you to determine if this treatment is the right solution for you. We’re experts in vein care, and it’s our pleasure to guide you through the process.

Call us at 407-545-3385 or contact us online today to schedule your obligation-free consultation!