Tag Archives: Spider Vein Treatment

Spider Vein Treatment 

A spider vein/s is a common dermatology concern affecting both women and men, especially after the age of 35 or 40. Tiny web-like clusters of spider veins can make the skin appear unattractive. In a few cases, the condition may cause discomfort in the affected areas if left untreated for long.

Patients in Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and surrounding locations have an opportunity to receive sclerotherapy treatment for spider veins from board certified dermatologists Dr. Tri H. Nguyen and Dr. George Hughes III.

Pre-op Consultation

A pre-operative consultation is an important component of the overall treatment process in case of spider veins. The treatment provider will closely engage with the patient during the consultation and provide them preparation and care instructions for the pre- and post-treatment periods. A dedicated provider will apprise the patient of various dermatology treatment options and help them make a well-considered choice during the consultation.

Asking Questions

A new patient may have doubts or apprehensions about going through an injectable treatment such as sclerotherapy for spider veins. They may also want to learn more about the dermatologist’s qualifications and expertise as well as the facilities and services they offer.

The patient should feel free to ask questions during the consultation process, and satisfy themselves completely before going ahead with sclerotherapy.

The patient should also ask questions about the cost, and seek information about the possibility of health insurance coverage in specific cases of spider veins. They should also seek guidance about getting the procedure financed or the payment options offered by the dermatologist. Potential risks, side effects, downtime, and recovery process should also be clarified during the consultation.

Health Evaluation

The dermatologist will examine the patient’s overall health condition to determine their candidacy for spider vein treatment. They may look at the past medical records of the patient and review the current condition of the affected sites and the patient’s skin type. Key issues to assess during the consultation may include:

• Whether the patient has undergone a surgical procedure in the past in the area to be treated
• Whether the patient has experienced any injury, pain or skin allergy previously in the affected area
• Whether any type of vein or vascular treatment has been received in the past
• What type of medications and supplements the patient may be currently taking
• Patient’s lifestyle habits such as smoking
• Family history of vein or vascular problems

Board certified dermatologists Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Hughes receive patients from Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and other cities across the horizon for spider vein treatment.

Examining the Veins

A detailed examination of the spider vein condition will be performed in order to create a custom treatment plan. If the problem is more pervasive, the provider may also look for deeper vein issues.

If any abnormal skin changes, sores or swelling are noticed, it may indicate more serious concerns. Risks factors and treatment planning will be discussed with the patient after the vein condition evaluation. Combined procedures or advanced treatments may be recommended in more severe cases.

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.

Spider Vein Treatment 

Sclerotherapy is a completely non-surgical and fairly safe dermatology procedure to treat spider veins. However, to achieve predictable outcomes, it is vital to choose a qualified provider for sclerotherapy. The provider will apprise the patient of the potential risks and safety aspects to help them make an informed choice.

During the pre-operative consultation, the patient will have an opportunity to ask questions and clear any concerns about the safety of sclerotherapy. A dedicated provider will satisfy the patient’s concerns with detailed and accurate answers. Board certified dermatologists Dr. Tri H. Nguyen and Dr. George Hughes III provide sclerotherapy to patients in Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and other cities in this part of the state and across the landscape.

Side Effects

Some of the temporary side effects of sclerotherapy may be experienced around the injection areas. These will include:

• Raised red areas
• Minor bruising
• Small skin sores
• Lines, spots or darkened skin
• Multiple red blood vessels

It may take a few days to a few weeks for these side effects to dissipate. No treatment will be necessary for them, but in rare cases, the side effects may persist for months or even years.

Major Complications

In highly exceptional situations, more serious complications of sclerotherapy may occur. These conditions will require immediate medical attention:

Inflammation

Although inflammation is usually mild, but in some cases it may cause swelling, discomfort and warmth around the injection sites. The dermatology treatment provider will prescribe drugs to address the inflammation.

Blood Clotting

A blood clot may occur in a treated vein, which will need to be drained. In extremely rare cases, the clot may move to a deeper vein around the injection site. This condition is known as deep vein thrombosis.

Pulmonary Embolism

Deep vein thrombosis involves a risk of pulmonary embolism, which is also a rare complication. The blood clot from the larger vein may travel to the lungs and block an important artery. If the patient complains of dizziness, breathing difficulty or chest pain, they should be taken to a medical professional.

Formation of Air Bubbles

Formation of small air bubbles may occur in the blood. This condition may be asymptomatic in some cases, but in others it may be indicated by headache, nausea, fainting and visual impairment. Medical attention is required if the symptoms continue or worsen.

Allergic Reaction

In rare cases, an allergic reaction to the medication used in the sclerotherapy injections may occur, requiring prompt medical attention.

How to Reduce Risk?

As a pre-requisite, the patient should select a fully trained and experienced vein treatment provider. The injection treatment sessions should be scheduled with a sufficient gap to allow the injected veins to respond and produce sustainable results. The provider may encourage the patient to walk on a treadmill for a few minutes after the treatment just to check things out and so on.

Compression stockings should be worn for a few days or weeks as per the dermatologist’s advice. Board certified dermatologists Dr. Nguyen and Dr. Hughes receive patients from Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and nearby areas 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.

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.