Unsightly Varicose Or Spider Veins? 2 Types Of Sclerotherapy That Can Help
If you have unsightly varicose or spider veins, then you may be looking into your vein removal options to help improve your appearance.
One relatively non-invasive treatment that helps eliminate the appearance of these unwanted veins is called sclerotherapy. During a sclerotherapy procedure, a special solution is injected into an unwanted vein that irritates the vein lining, causing it to swell. Once the vein lining swells, blood flow to the vein ceases, and the vein turns into scar tissue that is hidden under the surface of the skin.
However, there are several types of sclerotherapy, so read on to learn about how these vein procedures differ.
1. Liquid Sclerotherapy
Traditional liquid sclerotherapy is often used to treat mid-size spider and varicose veins. This type of sclerotherapy is performed by injecting a liquid solution called a sclerosant into an unwanted vein to encourage vein lining swelling and then collapse of the vein. While effective, some people require multiple liquid sclerotherapy treatments to eliminate one unwanted vein, and minor side effects, such as bruising and/or swelling at the injection site, can occur.
A variation of liquid sclerotherapy called micro-sclerotherapy can be used to treat smaller veins. To perform this vein procedure, the physician uses a needle that is much smaller than the one used during traditional liquid sclerotherapy when injecting the solution.
2. Foam Sclerotherapy
Another newer type of sclerotherapy is called foam sclerotherapy. To perform this vein treatment type, a doctor first takes a small amount of a sclerosant and injects air into it to create a sclerosant foam instead of leaving the drug in its liquid state. They then inject this foam into the vein the patient would like to eliminate.
Foam sclerotherapy offers several advantages when compared to traditional liquid sclerotherapy. First, a foam sclerosant can be used to treat larger veins, such as the great saphenous vein, because this voluminous substance is more likely to spread through the vein and come into contact with all vein walls that are much farther apart in larger veins. A liquid solution can become too diluted by blood in a large vein to perform its job properly.
In a clinical study where one group of people obtained foam sclerotherapy and another obtained the liquid alternative, the foam treatment was found to be about twice as effective at stopping blood flow as the liquid.
If you have one or more unwanted varicose or spider veins, then ask your doctor if you are a good candidate for one of these sclerotherapy types.