Say Goodbye to Varicose Veins With Sclerotherapy Treatment

Are you aware of the fact that over 10 million people in India suffer from some form of venous disease, including varicose veins? It is now becoming a common disease among people. But, worry not, as multiple treatment options are available to cure varicose veins and among them one is Sclerotherapy.

Get to know about every aspect of Sclerotherapy in this blog.

About Varicose Veins

The enlarged twisted veins in the body are considered as varicose veins. It is a common condition and caused by damaged or weak vein walls & valves. This can happen anywhere in the human body but mostly it occurs in legs.

Initially varicose veins do not show any symptoms in some individuals but for some, the symptoms can worsen. It’s better to seek medical advice if you see any of the symptoms to get the right treatment on time.

What is the Sclerotherapy Procedure?

Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure carried out to cure varicose veins & spider veins in any individual. In this procedure, the doctor used a needle to inject a salt (saline) or chemical solution into the infected veins. This causes scars to the veins and that scaring helps the blood to move to a healthier vein.

This treatment is often used to improve the veins to look better. It can also help with symptoms related to varicose veins, like swelling, burning aching and cramping.

Effectiveness of Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is the most common & first line of treatment to treat spider & varicose veins. This treatment is very effective. A varicose veins specialist doctor recommends this treatment to individuals who are suffering from small spider & varicose veins.

This treatment is considered the most effective treatment because it has—

70 to 90% of Success Rate
Start showing result in 3-6 weeks
75 to 80% Reduction of infection in veins after first session

Is Sclerotherapy Right for You?

Sclerotherapy is not for everyone although it is right suitable for people with varicose or spider veins. Your vascular specialist will check you and then will suggest either you qualify for sclerotherapy or not.

The persons with following conditions are not advised to get sclerotherapy treatment-

Suffering from superficial vein thrombosis (blood clot) or an active deep vein thrombosis.
Pregnant women or delivered the baby in past 3 months
Individuals advised for bedrest or unable to get out of bed
Women who breastfeed
Individual with blood clots history

The Sclerotherapy Procedure

The sclerotherapy procedure is done in multiple sessions based on the conditions of the veins. Let’s understand the procedure of sclerotherapy in phases like before, during and after the procedure.

Before the Procedure

A healthcare professional will do a physical exam of the patient and ask certain questions regarding the last day working and pre-medical history.

Your doctor will suggest a few things a day before the procedure. Let’s have a look at them–

You were advised to avoid certain medications before the procedure.
Wear loose and comfortable clothing.
Don’t apply any lotion at the infected areas.
Don’t shave your legs before the procedure.

During the Procedure

During the procedure, your healthcare team ask you to lie on your back with your slightly raised legs. The nurse will clean the area that needs to be treated. The doctor may perform an ultrasound to find the right vein for the treatment.

After the ultrasound, the vascular specialist injects a solution through the needle into your veins. The number of veins a vascular specialist treats in one session depends on the size and location of your veins, as well as your overall medical condition.

The entire procedure takes up to 30 to 45 minutes. You may feel mild pain during the needle injection in your skin.

After the Procedure

After the treatment, you will be advised to rest for 15-25 minutes ensuring to not have any bad reaction of the treatment. You may back to your normal activities as usual after the treatment.

Your healthcare provider may instruct you to avoid certain things for 48 hours after the procedure. Let’s have a look at them

Avoid certain medications like aspirin or any other anti-inflammatory medicine
Avoid hot baths
Don’t wash the treated area with soap
Don’t shave on the treated area.
Avoid direct exposure to sunlight
Avoid gym or hard exercise

Post-treatment Results

An individual can back to normal life after the treatment. A person with small varicose veins and spider veins ger recover in 3-4 weeks but people with large varicose or spider veins recover in 3-4 months.

After the treatment, the patient can walk easily and back to their day-to-day activities as usual.

Benefits of Sclerotherapy

This is the most common therapy to treat small spider veins. Sclerotherapy treatment has multiple benefits. Let’s have a look on the benefits of sclerotherapy-

It is a minimal invasive procedure
High Success Rate
No anaesthesia is required
Reduce the risk of bleeding
No or less pain during the procedure
Reduce visibility of veins

Risks and Side Effects of Sclerotherapy

Although it is the best treatment for spider veins but it has some risks or side effects. Here are the following side effects of sclerotherapy

Large injected spider veins or varicose veins may get hard or lumpy for several months
Brown lines at the area of the injected veins for a few months
Tiny blood vessels may develop in the treated area
The patient may face sudden swelling in the leg
Bruising or pain where the needle pinched
Some patients may have allergic reactions due to the solution

Comparing Sclerotherapy with Other Treatments

There are multiple treatments available to treat varicose veins. Every procedure has its pros & cons. Let’s compare sclerotherapy v/s Laser Therapy v/s Vein Stripping

Aspect	Sclerotherapy	Laser Therapy	Vein Stripping
Method	Injection of liquid into the affected vein	Application of laser energy to the vein	Surgical removal of the affected vein
Effectiveness	Effective for small to medium-sized veins	Effective for smaller veins	Effective for larger veins or severe cases
Recovery Time	Minimal downtime, resume normal activities quickly	Minimal downtime, resume normal activities quickly	Longer recovery period, may require time off work
Pain during Procedure	Mild discomfort from injections	Minimal discomfort from laser heat	Requires anesthesia, discomfort during recovery
Number of Sessions	Multiple sessions may be needed for complete treatment	Multiple sessions may be needed for complete treatment	Generally one-time procedure
Cost	Moderate cost, varies depending on number of sessions	Moderate to high cost, varies depending on number of sessions	Higher cost due to surgical procedure

Choose Dr Ashish Airen for Sclerotherapy Treatment

People with varicose veins suffer a lot in carrying out their daily activities. If you are also among one of them, do consult a vascular specialist to get the right treatment at the right time. If you are looking for a vascular specialist, Dr Ashish Arien is one of the best vascular surgeon in Jaipur. With his years of experience, he has treated 1000s of patients and delivered the right treatment.