You might have noticed varicose veins or spider veins on your legs. These superficial veins bulge out, seemingly protruding from underneath the skin. They can be bluish or purple in shade and look rather unsightly. When people start to develop varicose veins, they may feel ashamed or embarrassed about their appearance. However, it’s important to note that this could be more than a cosmetic issue. In many cases, varicose veins and spider veins will cause significant levels of discomfort and even pain. Some people may even notice that their skin feels itchy in the impacted area.
There are various treatment options available for individuals who suffer from this condition. The best treatments will directly address the vein that is causing the issue. The impacted vein can be closed off, redirecting blood flow to other veins. This stops it pooling and allows for the vein to be removed, typically with no scarring at all. One of the most popular solutions is sclerotherapy.
Sclerotherapy Explained
Through sclerotherapy, a medical solution or agent known as the sclerosant is injected into a vein. This obliterates the vein that has become varicose. The agent is able to damage the lining of the vein which is known as the endothelium. This almost immediately causes a clot which then results in the circulation of the blood being blocked.
Varicose veins and spider veins are caused when there is an issue with the valves in the veins, usually in the legs. Veins include one-way valves that ensure that the blood can return to the heart from the peripheral tissues. In the case of varicose veins, the blood instead pools in a particular area which causes the impacted vein to twist or bulge.
Sclerotherapy provides an effective solution to this issue. It can also help reduce the development of related medical conditions. This includes venous insufficiency. That can result in leg swelling as well as skin ulcerations and blood clots.
The first step of sclerotherapy is to ensure that an individual is a right fit for the procedure. It is important to be aware that not everyone will be eligible for sclerotherapy. It is ideally suited for those who are not obese and have smaller varicose veins or spider veins. These are also known as superficial varicose veins. Those people who are healthy but have veins 4mm or less that are impacting their cosmetic appearance may also be ideal candidates for this particular procedure.
What To Expect?
Initially, you will be screened using ultrasound techniques. The aim here is to ensure that the site of the issue is ascertained so that the right, specific treatment can be provided. Once this has occurred, a needle will be used to inject the solution into the vein. This is a quick procedure and is minimally invasive. However, it will still require an injection.
How Long is the Sclerotherapy Recovery?
When you think about what treatment option is going to be right for you, it’s important to weigh up the benefits of each possibility. There are numerous advantages to this treatment option that you should keep in mind. However, one of the main benefits is always going to be the recovery time.
Compared to other treatment options, you will recover significantly faster when you opt for sclerotherapy. Indeed, this treatment is completed as an outpatient procedure. This means that you will be able to leave the office on the same day of the procedure. You will be able to quickly get back to your daily routine and most patients feel little to no discomfort during this process.
It’s important to note that while the recovery time is close to instant, this does not mean that you will immediately see changes to your skin and the veins in question. Indeed, there can be a significant period of time before you notice the impact of the treatment. This will differ from person to person. However, most people will begin to see changes several weeks after treatment. Within three months, the varicose vein or spider veins will usually have faded completely.
Some people may require additional treatments to gain the best possible results from this solution.
Can Anything Negatively Impact Recovery?
It is important to note that while sclerotherapy may seem like a simple procedure, it does need to be completed by an expert. If this does not occur, then it is possible that the first attempt will lead to the solution being administered outside of the impacted vein. As well as leading to significant discomfort for you, this could also impact both the chance of success and the time it takes to fully recover from this treatment.
Recovery will also be impacted if you were not the right fit for the treatment, to begin with. Some patients may see certain limited side effects of the treatment. This includes a dark discoloration which is known as hyperpigmentation. This occurs due to the disintegration of the blood cells within the vessel that is being treated. However, for most individuals, this impact will fade within just six months. Some patients may notice that other spider veins develop around the area where the treatment has been provided. However again, these tend to fade within six months.
For these reasons, it is important to make sure that you are using a specialist solution. It is absolutely vital that the individual who completes your procedure has the right level of training and knowledge to administer this treatment the correct way. It is also important that they do ensure that you are the right candidate before treatment is provided.
You will also need to make sure that you are following any instructions provided for your recovery.
Are Special Procedures Required During Recovery?
As with any medical treatment, it is important that you do complete your recovery the correct way. However, the instructions for aftercare once you have received sclerotherapy are quite simple. You must make sure that you wear a compression sock for a few weeks after the treatment is complete. This is entirely for your benefit. As well as speeding up the recovery process, it will ensure that you are able to guarantee that you gain the right results with this treatment.
A compression sock will ensure that the solution used during your treatment will remain in the right place. As such, you can guarantee that there won’t be issues with the agent settling in. If you fail to wear the sock, you may find that you see limited results with this treatment. It’s possible that you won’t see any changes to your vein at all.
Aside from this, you should ensure that you are making the right changes to your lifestyle. This is particularly important during the period immediately after treatment. The aim here will be to reduce the risk of you developing other issues with your veins. It’s worth noting that sclerotherapy will only impact the vein that has been treated. As such, it is possible that you will notice another vein in your leg becomes varicose.
There are numerous ways to reduce the risk of this occurring. However, the main point to focus on is changing your lifestyle. For instance, there is significant research that suggests that the right antioxidants will improve blood flow. This is going to limit the chance of blood pooling which causes the veins to twist and bulge, as often witnessed during this condition.
You might also want to think about increasing your daily activity. Staying active will help keep the blood moving through the body. However, it is also important to guarantee that you are not standing for extended periods throughout the day. This makes it more difficult for the blood to travel from the legs to the heart.
As you can see the recovery time for sclerotherapy is short and one of the best features of this particular treatment option. However, you do need to make sure that you are getting the right treatment from an expert in vein procedures and the conditions that could be impacting you.
Other Benefits
There are other benefits to this treatment option aside from the rapid recovery. As well as being a minimally invasive procedure, sclerotherapy will typically provide a high level of success. The results also tend to be long-lasting. As such, you won’t have to worry about needing a repeat treatment. Furthermore, when completed the correct way there is little to no discomfort for the patient. After your treatment is complete, you will notice changes to the level of pain caused by your condition immediately.
Dr. Yalamanchili is a specialist in vein treatments and procedures such as sclerotherapy. As such, he can provide the solution you need and guarantee you get the results you want. With the treatment he offers, you will have a clear complexion and beautiful legs that you can be proud of. Sclerotherapy can also be the best option if your veins are causing you significant levels of pain and discomfort or if they are beginning to impact your quality of life.
Contact us today and book a consultation at our office in Corona Del Mar. We look forward to hearing from you!
