Spider Vein Treatment (Sclerotherapy) Procedure Steps
Sclerotherapy is a judicious, proven, and tremendous dermatology procedure to treat spider veins. At the time of initial consultation, the treatment provider will discuss various aspects of sclerotherapy and explain the steps involved in the injection procedure. Tiny needles are injected into the targeted veins, and no anesthesia is involved in the procedure.
The provider will perform sclerotherapy as an in-office treatment, and in most cases, the patients can simply return to their normal routine after the injections. Patients in Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and surrounding communities have an opportunity to receive spider vein treatment from board certified dermatologists Dr. Tri H. Nguyen and Dr. George Hughes III.
Pre-operative Consultation
During the pre-operative consultation, the vein treatment expert will examine the patient’s condition of spider veins and minor varicose veins. Based on the evaluation, they may recommend sclerotherapy or another procedure to the suitable candidate.
The patient should share their cosmetic needs and goals with the provider at this stage, and clear their doubts and concerns about the procedure and the provider’s background. It is important to have a relationship of trust and open communication with the provider in order to achieve the best results.
Preparation
Once the sclerotherapy dermatology treatment is about to begin, a few minutes will be spent in preparation. The patient will be comfortably placed in a standing or lying down position with the back of their legs slightly raised in order to mark the targeted spider veins. The treatment area will be cleansed with an alcohol-based solution to minimize the risk of infection.
Although the sclerotherapy procedure will rarely require anesthesia, but a topical numbing gel or cream may be applied to keep the patient comfortable. One treatment session of sclerotherapy can last for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the vein condition.
Administering the Injections
Very fine or micro needles will be used to slowly inject the medicated solution into the affected veins that have been marked beforehand. The targeted vein directly receives the sclerosing solution, which triggers a gradual collapse of the vein. About one inch of surface skin can be treated with a single injection.
Multiple injections will be involved in each treatment session, but their number will vary according to the extent of vein problem. Most patients require at least two or more treatment sessions in order to achieve optimal outcomes because some of the stubborn veins may not be successfully removed the first time.
The same procedure will be repeated in each treatment session. The sclerosing solution is normally in liquid form, and is designed to irritate the inner lining of the diseased vein. The vein swells shut and the blood flow is cut off, leading to its gradual elimination.
Sclerosing solution may sometimes be mixed with lidocaine, a local anesthetic, for improved patient comfort. Foam version of the sclerosant may be applied in some cases, particularly if the vein size is larger. Foam will cover a bigger area than liquid. Board certified dermatologists Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Hughes receive patients from Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and other communities across the horizon for sclerotherapy.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered at Texas Surgical Dermatology PA please call 832.663.6566 or click here to contact our dermatologists. Helping patients in Houston, The Woodlands, Springs, Katy and other surrounding areas of Texas.
