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Introduction

Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to eliminate varicose veins and spider veins. Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to swell and stick together, and the blood to clot. Over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue that fades from view.

Sclerotherapy is a well-proven procedure and has been in use since the 1930s.

Candidates for Sclerotherapy

Prior to the procedure, you will have an initial consultation with a dermatologist or vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you're a good candidate for sclerotherapy.

You are not eligible if you are pregnant or bedridden. You can have sclerotherapy if you take birth control pills. If you have had a blood clot in the past, your eligibility will be decided on an individual basis, and will depend on the overall health of the area needing treatment as well as the reason for the clot.

Veins that are potentially usable for future surgical bypass procedures (i.e. use of the saphenous vein, a large vein in the leg used for coronary artery bypass graft surgery) will generally not be considered for sclerotherapy, unless they are already deemed unusable.

How Sclerotherapy Is Done

In most cases, the salt solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes.

The number of veins injected in one session varies, and depends on the size and location of the veins, as well as the general medical condition of the patient.

Sclerotherapy is performed in the doctor's office by a dermatologist or a surgeon and requires that you do not partake in any aerobic activity for a few days after the procedure.