How Long Will Sclerotherapy Last?

Spider veins are something that nearly everyone (both men and women) will have to deal with at some point in their lives. While rarely painful or dangerous, many people find them to be unsightly blemishes that can be embarrassing or cause issues with self-esteem, especially during the summer months when the weather is warm, and dressing means ditching the long sleeves and long pants in favor of shorts, tank tops, and swimsuits. There are, of course, ways that you can try to diminish the appearance of spider veins – through at-home remedies to surgical procedures, but one therapy is breaking through and helping millions of individuals – this therapy is called Sclerotherapy, and it is making waves!

What Are Spider Veins?

Spider veins, which can also be known as varicose veins, are those dark red, blue, or purple lines you might see on your body – usually on your legs, arms, and hands. These lines tend to crop up with age and can also be influenced by genetics, hormones, pregnancy, and weight. While common and nothing to be embarrassed about, many individuals, especially women, might find them to be unsightly and wreak havoc on their self-esteem.

How Can Spider Veins Be Removed?

Spider veins can often be removed by surgical procedures, although they are costly and tend to have lengthy hospital stays and recovery times. At-home treatments, such as creams and ointments, rarely work, except in mild cases that aren’t too severe. Finally, there is Sclerotherapy, which is gaining in popularity.

What is Sclerotherapy, and How is it Done?

Sclerotherapy is a way to remove spider veins without the surgical procedure! While not for everyone, many individuals make great candidates for this easy treatment, which does not involve general anesthesia and can be done in as little as fifteen to forty-five minutes!

Sclerotherapy is done by injecting a medication such as Asclera into the spider veins with a tiny needle, which over time will collapse the veins and cause them to disappear. While you may see results right away, several sessions are often required to make these veins disappear entirely. 

How Long Does Sclerotherapy Last?

When it comes to removing spider veins through a process such as Sclerotherapy, you might wonder just how long it will last. Will the results wear off over time, or is this treatment a permanent way to remove spider veins from your body forever?

The good news is that once these spider veins are removed, most of the time, they do not reappear – at least the same veins will not reappear. Of course, over time, new ones may occur and develop, in which case you will need a repeat treatment to target these new spider veins. However, once one particular set of spider veins has collapsed and has disappeared through Sclerotherapy, they will remain gone.

Are There Side Effects?

As with any medical procedure, Sclerotherapy has side effects, although they are minimal and quite rare. Side effects you may see include swelling, bruising at the injection site, bleeding, minor sores, and hyperpigmentation. You may also see new vein clusters pop up. While ultimately quite rare, another side effect of Sclerotherapy is blood clots, but wearing compression stockings for the advised amount of time following your procedure will most definitely help reduce the risk.

Is Sclerotherapy For Me?

If you have ever struggled with spider veins causing damage to your self-esteem and would like to ditch the long pants and jackets for good, Sclerotherapy may be for you! If you are in otherwise good health, you should have no trouble being an ideal candidate for Sclerotherapy. However, it is important to note that some cases of spider veins may be more severe than others and may not respond to this treatment. If this is the case, other treatments, such as surgical procedures, may be in the patient’s best interest if they wish to pursue the removal of their spider veins further.

If you would like to learn more about Sclerotherapy or to see if you may be a candidate for this breakthrough procedure, call the office of Dr. Ghozland today at 310-393-9359. We would be happy to discuss Sclerotherapy more with you and get you set up with an appointment!