Is your doctor suggesting sclerotherapy? You must be wondering what is sclerotherapy and how will it help you get rid of those ugly veins. Do not worry, we are here to help you out.
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure that involves the injection of a solution into the veins. This solution helps in shrinking the veins. Sclerotherapy is mostly used to treat spider veins and varicose veins.
Spider veins are those small, thin veins that are visible just below the surface of the skin. These veins are usually red, blue, or purple. They mostly occur on the legs but can also be seen on the face.
Varicose veins are those large, swollen veins that can be seen just under the skin. These veins are blue or dark purple. Varicose veins mostly affect the legs.
When you schedule an appointment with your doctor, they will ask you about your medical history and perform a physical examination. The examination is important to check if there are any blood vessels or varicose veins.
Your doctor may also order an ultrasound test to take a closer look at your blood vessels. The procedure will take place in the doctor’s hospital or office. It does not need anaesthesia.
During the procedure, you need to lie in a comfortable position and at the same time keep your legs in a slightly elevated form. The doctor will clean the area using alcohol and will inject a solution called sclerosant into your veins. The solution will cause the vein to collapse and fade away.
You may feel a cramping sensation when the needle is inserted into your vein. The injection itself only takes a few seconds. As per the location and size of the veins and the medical status of the patient, multiple injections may be required. The patient may also experience pain when the solution passes into the surrounding tissue from the vein.
After the procedure, your doctor will apply a compression bandage to the injection site.