Overview Of Procedure
Everyone has seen them. They aren’t pretty. If we have them, we know they cause us embarrassment. We try to hide them. Leg veins are unsightly and they only increase as we age. Some of us have had them for as long as we can remember. Wouldn’t you like to forget them?
Dallas-based Dermatology Consultants has a successful history of reducing the appearance of leg veins. We can make your legs look smoother, softer, and younger.
Leg veins can be safely treated with a technique called sclerotherapy, whereby a solution is injected with a very tiny needle into the vein. This solution causes irritation of the vein wall, which causes the walls to collapse, and the vein to fade over time. The veins do not always go completely away but become much lighter in appearance, the legs look better, and the veins are much less noticeable.
Leg Veins FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What causes leg veins to become apparent?
Spider veins (also known as telangiectasias) and varicose veins (larger diameter blue veins) become visible over time due to many reasons. It is felt that one of the main reasons for leg veins becoming visible is hereditary. If your parents have bad spider veins or large varicose veins it is more likely that you will also develop these. Other factors that contribute to the development of visible leg veins include trauma, hormone therapy, pregnancy, and an occupation that requires standing on your feet for long periods of time.
How many treatments are required?
It varies from individual to individual but typically 2-4 treatments are required for the best results. In patients with milder cases, 1-2 will suffice. Larger varicose veinsmay require more.
Is there any difference in treatment of spider veins as opposed to the large veins?
Yes. A stronger solution is used to inject the larger veins. Following the treatment for larger veins, compression hose between 20-40 mm mercury are usually recommended be worn for at least 2 weeks. In Dallas most of our patients prefer to do this large vein treatment in the fall or winter months because the hose are uncomfortable to wear in the hot summer months. However, these hose come in fashionable colors and our patients do not object to wearing them and may even find them quite comfortable. If patients are experiencing pain with larger veins, the hose and sclerotherapy will often diminish the pain. Another difference is that there is a more extensive evaluation that is performed before treating larger veins which involves a non-invasive Doppler test to determine the status of the vein network to confirm that they are incompetent and to determine if they are connected to any veins in the deeper system, which may affect the results of treatment.
Are there any side effects to sclerotherapy?
Yes, but they are usually quite minor and include bruising, some brownish discoloration at sites of injection, tiny sores at sites of injection, temporary lumpiness due to coagulation of blood in larger vessels and the development of tiny blood vessels at the injection sites. Most of these side effects resolve over time.
Do I have to limit any activity after the treatment?
We encourage walking but discourage high impact aerobics or heavy weight lifting for 24 hours. For large vein sclerotherapy, heavy exercise is limited for a few days.
Does it hurt?
The sclerosing agents used in our office have very little burning or stinging associated with them. Most patients state that it is painless with only occasional minimal stinging. Patients are pleasantly surprised and say that the procedure was much easier than they anticipated and they tolerate the procedure quite well.