Sclerotherapy is a vein treatment primarily used to treat Spider Veins and Varicose Veins. Sclerotherapy involves the use of a very small needle to inject a solution into the diseased veins. The solutions work by causing the veins to shrink, close off, and gradually disappear. At Northern Michigan Vein Specialists in Cadillac and Traverse City, MI we specialize in treating vein conditions with Sclerotherapy.

There really aren’t any restrictions on who can have sclerotherapy to remove their spider veins. The procedure is simple and reactions to the sclerosant are exceedingly rare. Typical liquid sclerotherapy doesn’t work well on varicose veins that push the skin upward. However, foam sclerotherapy, such as we use at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists, is a great option for varicose veins.

During the initial consultation, your legs will be examined, and any questions you may have will be answered. You may also discuss your expectations and anticipated results. At this point, an estimate of the number of treatments, affiliated costs, and payment will be covered which will vary depending on the size and extent of your problem. You should then be able to schedule an appointment for treatment.

Dr. Heeringa uses a very tiny needle for sclerotherapy, as the injections do not need to be overly deep. Because of this, patients usually say the feeling of the procedure is akin to that of a pinprick or a mosquito bite. Dr. Heeringa and you will first discuss which veins you want to treat. He then injects the sclerosant solution directly into the vein. The solution irritates the walls of the vein, causing them to collapse. This closes off the vein and any minor amount of blood running through it is instantly redirected to a healthier nearby vein.

The vein will instantly diminish in appearance but may look inflamed or irritated soon after the procedure. Over the next few weeks, the body scavenges and removes the unused vein. It typically takes 4-6 weeks to see maximum benefit. While you should notice significant improvement after your first session, most people require more than one session to completely eradicated spider veins.

After Dr. Heeringa has injected your spider veins if you’ve had a number of veins treated he will likely have you wear compression stockings for a week. The compression helps the body begin the process of absorbing the closed-off veins and prevents blood from re-filling the veins that were treated. Walking and light exercise is fine immediately after your session. If you’ve had a number of veins treated, you should avoid any strenuous exercise for a few days.

The veins treated with sclerotherapy are destroyed and will be reabsorbed by the body so they can’t come back. However, nothing can be done to prevent your body from forming new spider veins. But new spider veins can be treated just as effectively as the previous ones with sclerotherapy. We cannot cure venous disease – but we can control and maintain it.

Sclerotherapy was first described in the 1600’s but we have had good medicines for sclerotherapy since 1946, and it has proven safe and effective. There is a very low risk of any reaction to the sclerosant solution. Tens of millions of sclerosant injections have been given, and sclerotherapy continues to be the method of choice for treating spider veins. Minor issues may be some redness at the injection sites and slight irritation, but that’s about it.