Sclerotherapy

Treatment

What should I expect from my initial consultation?

You will be thoroughly assessed and the best treatment options for your legs will be discussed. You will be assessed in a standing position, to enable examination of the whole leg. This can be done by looking and feeling the legs. A hand held Doppler machine will be used to listen to the blood flow in your legs.

The number of treatments you need, will be discussed and their cost. You should budget for at least two. Each session takes approximately 30 minutes.

The results after one treatment vary considerably from one client to another. Some veins disappear completely whilst others only fade and some remain unchanged. On completion of a successful treatment you can expect improvement in the overall appearance of 60-80%.

In most cases further treatments will be necessary. Some clients return each year whilst others may come back as veins appear after a few years.

During this initial consultation you will be given a full explanation of the side effects of treatments and the follow up care required. You will also be measured for your compression hosiery.

What happens during treatment?

The injections are performed with you lying down. A solution is injected with a very tiny needle, superficially into the veins. This causes the lining of the vein to become sticky and swell. Compression is then applied to close the veins. Over time the vein will heal closed and be absorbed into the body and fade away.

Compression hosiery will be put on before you get off the treatment couch. Research suggests that the longer the compression hosiery is worn the better the result. Compression assists long term appearance and les side effects. You will be asked to wear the compression hosiery day and night for 72 hours continuously, after which time you may remove them to shower or bath. You should then wear the compression hosiery for as long as possible during the daytime.

Sclerotherapy need not be painful. Occasionally there may be feeling of discomfort
in some areas of the leg (this varies from person to person).

What should I expect after treatment?

Once you remove the bandaging or stockings expect your legs to look worse. There may be marks from the needle, bruising and often the veins appear black/brown. This is all normal and may take a few weeks to settle. Arnica may
help with the bruising.

The legs may feel slightly tender during the first few days post treatment. An anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen is often helpful and walking may help.

After about 4 weeks the veins may show some signs of improvement. The true effect is seen between two and three months. Some darker flares may continue to fade for up to six months after the procedure.

Is Sclerotherapy permanent?

Small vessels will be absorbed by the body after three months and should not reappear. However it is likely that new ones will occur in a similar area.

What are the side effects?

Although safe, sclerotherapy is not entirely without risk.

Brown staining (haemosiderin stain) is the most common side effect. It may occur in approximately 15% of cases. It can happen when the vein is not entirely closed. Blood is trapped and clots. In some people the iron pigment leaks from the clot and stains the skin over the vessel. The mark is not usually permanent but takes 6-18 months to fade. When they are exposed to the sun they may darken and take longer to fade.

Immediately after sclerotherapy you may experience some swelling around the ankle or knee joints. This settles spontaneously after 24 hours. Raising your leg whilst sitting helps.

Other less common side effects will be discussed with you at your initial consultation.

It is possible for the treatment to have little or no effect. Results unfortunately cannot be guaranteed.