Spider veins are a problem for many people, and they can be embarrassing to talk about. They don’t only affect the appearance of your legs, but they can also cause pain. However, sclerotherapy is a treatment that helps get rid of them for good. At North Texas Vein and Vascular in Flower Mound, TX, we offer this effective treatment option, which can eliminate your problem with no downtime.
How Can You Get Rid of Spider Veins?
Understand What Spider Veins Are
Spider veins are actually enlarged or broken vessels that look like the legs of a spider. These typically appear on your lower extremities, and they can be purple, blue, red, or even brownish. They are not dangerous, but they can be an eyesore and make you feel self-conscious. You may notice them on your upper thighs or lower legs only when standing up, making it difficult to cover them with clothing.
Sclerotherapy as a Treatment
While there’re several treatment options for this condition, sclerotherapy is the most popular one. This treatment involves injecting a solution into your vessels, which causes them to collapse and fade away over time. The effects are long-lasting, but you will need touch-ups every few years or so, depending on how fast your body naturally repairs itself.
Sclerotherapy is usually done in our doctor’s office and doesn’t require any downtime. You can walk out of our facility immediately after the injections without worrying about residual effects, such as pain or bruising, which some procedures may cause due to their invasive nature.
How Does Sclerotherapy Work?
We start by performing an ultrasound or laser test to locate the exact location of your problem veins. Then, we use micro-needles to inject the sclerotherapy solution into these veins. As mentioned earlier, this causes these vessels to collapse over time and fade away entirely while new ones grow back naturally, so it doesn’t affect blood flow at all.
Sclerotherapy can be done on any part of your body where these veins may occur, including face, neck, shoulders, belly button area, groin region, etc. The injections are often done in a series for the best results. However, we may recommend performing them on one leg initially and following up with injections of the other side later, depending on your condition.
How Often Should I Go for Sclerotherapy Treatment?
That depends on your condition, so the best thing you can do is schedule an appointment with us. Once we’ve known how many of these vessels you have, we will recommend the most suitable treatment plan. In general, we recommend 2-4 sessions for the best results. However, this mainly depends on two factors:
a) Areas Affected
The number of these veins you have will determine how many times we recommend for this particular treatment. That’s because if there are just a couple, then two sessions may be enough to get rid of them completely, while when they’re in multiple areas, then four might be necessary instead.
b) Severity/Stage of Vein Development
These veins can develop over time, which means they start out as small visible vessels and gradually grow into larger skin imperfections that require more treatment sessions.
How Long Does It Take for Veins To Heal After Sclerotherapy?
It usually takes about 3-6 months for these veins to heal completely. However, this also depends on how many sessions you need to get rid of them completely. Therefore, the recovery time varies from person to person.
After How Long Should I Start Seeing Results of Sclerotherapy?
It usually takes about 8 to 12 weeks for visible results to show, but the best way to determine whether this is working or not is by getting regular check-ups.
Can I Sit After Sclerotherapy?
No, it’s necessary to take a break from sitting or standing for long periods after sclerotherapy treatment. If you sit for too long, then the effects of this treatment can be counterproductive and make the veins even more visible instead. We encourage all patients to walk as much as possible after the treatment.
What Activities Can I Do After Sclerotherapy?
After two weeks, most people are able to return to their normal routine, which includes exercising as well as engaging in any physical activity that doesn’t involve standing or walking for several hours at once. Let us know if your job requires you to stand on your feet all day so we can provide specific instructions regarding this matter.
How Long Do the Results of Sclerotherapy Last?
The results can last for a lifetime, depending on how your body reacts and heals after this particular treatment. However, new veins can develop over time, and old ones can reappear too, which is why we recommend regular check-ups after the treatment.
What is Post-Treatment Care After Sclerotherapy?
After sclerotherapy treatment has been completed, we recommend wearing compression stockings for two weeks at all times, except when sleeping. This helps keep blood flow more consistent and reduces swelling while speeding up healing time.
How Do I Prepare for Sclerotherapy?
If you’re a good candidate for sclerotherapy, we recommend abstaining from taking aspirin or any other blood thinners before this treatment because it can cause bruising. We also recommend staying hydrated before the treatment.
What Causes Spider Veins?
These veins form as a result of damage done to the vessel walls, and they can be hereditary. The most common triggers are sunlight, hormonal changes, pregnancy, and weight gain or loss. Let’s discuss some of these factors in detail:
1) Sunlight
Exposure to UV rays can damage blood vessel walls and cause this condition. That’s why you should wear sunscreen all the time, particularly when going out for a walk or any outdoor activity because even short periods of sun exposure can have long-lasting effects on your skin.
2) Hormonal Changes
Our hormones play a significant role in the overall health of our skin, and effects such as sun damage can be more pronounced during puberty or menopause. That’s why these veins are also common among pregnant women due to hormonal changes that lead to increased blood flow for fetal development.
3) Weight Gain or Loss
Weight gain or loss can cause the connective tissue in your skin to stretch and break, which results in spider veins. That’s why they are very common among athletes, especially when they significantly increase their body mass within a short time.
4) Heredity
If other members of your family have these veins, then you are more likely to get them too. However, they usually develop before age 30, so if you’re younger and experience sudden development of these veins without any change in lifestyle or increased exposure to sunlight, then it might be due to heredity.
5) Occupations That Involve A Lot of Standing
People who work at a cash register, receptionists, waiters/waitresses, and people involved in manufacturing are most likely to develop these veins due to increased pressure on their legs. That’s why you should take regular breaks when standing for extended durations so the blood flow returns to normal.
6) A History of Blood Clots
If you have a history of blood clots in your family, then it increases the risk of developing these veins. That’s because these conditions are closely related, and they both lead to increased vascularity, which results in more visible vessels under the skin.
Common Signs and Symptoms
Typically, the most common sign of these veins is their appearance as red or blue lines on your skin which can be quite visible depending on how prominent they are and whether you have a fair complexion. Let’s go over the two common signs and symptoms:
Change in Skin Color
The first sign of these veins is usually a change in skin color. That’s because as these vessels grow, they become more visible and alter the overall appearance of your skin, such as making it appear bluish or reddish depending on the surrounding area.
Change in Size of Veins
These veins usually grow in size with time, and that’s why most people get a diagnosis after they have significantly increased. Though this is not a severe condition, if left untreated, the vessels can become more visible and lead to adverse effects, such as an uneven skin tone or texture.
Find Relief From Your Spider Veins Today!
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment that can help you get rid of these veins for good. This method is designed to target these particular vessels so if you’re looking forward to getting the treatment, contact us at North Texas Vein and Vascular in Flower Mound, TX today!
