Varicose and Spider Veins
Varicose and spider veins on the lower legs are unsightly and inhibit many people from wearing shorts or bathing suits. In addition to veins on the legs, there are also broken capillaries and abnormal veins on the legs, feet, hands, and face.
Varicose veins are the larger, bulging veins on the legs, and spider veins are the smaller and finer patches of veins.
Treatments
Compression Stockings
The first line of treatment is compression stockings. that collapse the veins and prevent backflow of blood. If after 3 months of wearing stockings, there is no benefit, then we will further evaluate for additional treatment.
Injection Sclerotherapy
We begin evaluating veins with a Doppler to assess deep vein function. This will determine if you are a candidate for injection sclerotherapy or will need to be referred for EVLA (endovenous laser ablation).
Injection Sclerotherapy
Injection sclerotherapy is a simple procedure in which a sclerosing agent, Polidocanol, is injected into the vein causing an irritation, and the vein scars shut. These injections are virtually painless. The blood is diverted to the other miles of veins in the legs. It is imperative to follow wearing compression stockings for 2-3 weeks.
The only restrictions are that we ask that you don’t lift more than 10 pounds, you don’t soak in a hot tub, and you avoid high-impact aerobics, all at least for the first week.
The number of treatments you will need depends on the severity of the veins. If you are prone to varicose and spider veins, you will likely develop more with time, and additional treatments may be necessary.
