If you’re bothered by little veins near the surface of your skin, you don’t need to worry about covering them up anymore. Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment to help treat and remove unsightly veins from near the surface of the skin. Keep reading for some commonly-asked questions about sclerotherapy.
What does it treat?
Sclerotherapy involves making small injections in a procedure to treat spider veins. The injection of a sterile solution is put into the veins with a very small needle. The solution is specially designed to irritate the lining of the vein, causing it to die off and disappear eventually. Multiple veins can be treated during one treatment session, which allows for fewer overall treatments. The solution used could be either hypertonic saline or sodium tetradecylsulfate, depending on your provider’s preference.
Does sclerotherapy hurt?
There may be a little sting associated with each injection. A burning sensation will likely last few seconds. Most patients are not bothered enough by the procedure to require any type of anesthesia, though it is an option if you have a lower tolerance of pain. Many patients claim that sclerotherapy is much less painful than what they expected.
Can sclerotherapy be done on the arms or face?
No. Sclerotherapy should not be done on the face and hands. The veins of the hand may be less than ideal-looking, but they should never be treated with sclerotherapy, due to possible issues with results. If the facial veins are very conspicuous, laser treatments may be a better option than sclerotherapy.
How many sclerotherapy treatments are required?
The amount of treatments needed will vary depending on each specific patient. Usually, two to four treatments may be required to offer the best results for many patients. Some patients who have milder issues may only need one to two treatments. You may need more treatments when there are many veins that must be targeted, or if the veins are slightly larger in size.
If you want to learn more about how we can use sclerotherapy to help treat unsightly veins, please give us a call at (650) 962-4600 today.
