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Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a treatment to remove the appearance of
spider veins that can often occur on legs. By injecting a
solution into the visible vein, the vein will eventually collapse
so that it will no longer show. Anyone who has varicose veins
and are unhappy with them showing may be a candidate for sclerotherapy.
The first step in deciding if you are a strong sclerotherapy
candidate is by visiting a plastic surgeon for a consultation.
If deciding to move forward with sclerotherapy the plastic
surgeon will give the patient directions to help the procedure
be successful. Depending on the severity of the varicose veins,
the plastic surgeon may suggest an alternative method than
sclerotherapy. It is necessary to receive repeat sclerotherapy
treatments before the cosmetic procedure becomes completely
effective.
Each sclerotherapy treatment will be performed between 6-12
weeks apart. The plastic surgeon will use a very small needle
to inject the solution into the veins, so a high number of
injections may need to be given depending on the severity
of the varicose veins. People react to the sclerotherapy treatment
in different ways, but a qualified plastic surgeon will thoroughly
evaluate and assess each patient prior to the start of the
treatments. Each sclerotherapy injection will only treat about
an inch of the visible vein.
The sclerotherapy treatment will take about 15 minutes to
an hour, depending on how many injections need to be given.
Sclerotherapy injections contain hypertonic saline, sodium
tetradecyl sulphate, and polidocanol. Although sclerotherapy
destroys the inner lining of the blood vessel the patient's
body will replace it by non-visible scar tissue. In actuality
sclerotherapy allows for better circulation by getting rid
of unnecessary vessels.
Sclerotherapy is not considered a painful cosmetic procedure,
but some patients will experience a slight burning sensation
while the injections are administered. Results of sclerotherapy
are not immediate, taking around six months before the treated
veins have faded away. Patients will often experience discoloration
at the location of the sclerotherapy treatment that will occur
immediately but will fade away within a month and a half.
Patients must understand that cosmetic procedures like sclerotherapy
have limitations and not everyone will respond to the procedure
with success. Serious complications associated to sclerotherapy
are rare, but learning the risks associated to any procedure
is important before deciding to undergo any type of cosmetic
technique. The results of sclerotherapy treatment can be very
dramatic for some people that previously felt uncomfortable
with the appearance of their legs. To find out if you can
benefit from sclerotherapy, please contact us.
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