Sclerotherapy involves injecting small doses of a solution directly into the unwanted vein with a very fine needle. The solution irritates the vein, causing it to swell, stick together and the blood to clot. This essentially seals off the treated vein from other veins. Over a period of weeks, the treated vein turns into scar tissue that is absorbed by the body. Eventually, the scar tissue becomes barely noticeable or invisible. This procedure can be performed in a dermatologist’s office and does not require anesthesia.
A treatment session generally lasts 15 to 20 minutes. A number of veins can be treated during one treatment session and a single vein may be injected several times. Some veins require more than one treatment session. Sessions may be spaced weeks or months apart, depending on the vein.
After treatment, most patients can expect to see an 80 to 90 percent improvement. This may require several treatments. Fading is gradual and occurs over a period of time.
While generally spider veins completely disappear, new spider veins can appear in the same general area. It is possible for large veins to recur. Sometimes spider veins also recur.
