Sclerotherapy for Spider and Vericose Veins

Varicose veins and spider veins can both have a negative impact on your appearance. In the case of varicose veins, your health can be impacted as well. If you are struggling with the presence of these unwanted veins, ask our skilled doctor about the benefits of sclerotherapy if you want something with a proven track record.

Varicose veins form in the legs. They are almost unheard of anywhere else. One common cause is a failure of the valves inside the veins. These valves are there to allow the blood to only flow toward the heart and lungs. In the case of the leg veins, the blood must flow against the pull of gravity for much of the time. If the valves fail to function properly, the pumping action of the heart will be struggling against the gravitational pull on the blood inside the veins. The result will be a backup and subsequent pooling of the blood. This will create added pressure against the vessel walls, and they will become enlarged as a result. Visible varicose veins will then form.

In addition to the blue streaks that varicose veins create, they can cause the skin to bulge out. This makes their appearance even more pronounced. Many people struggle with this problem to the extent that their self-confidence is significantly harmed.

While they do not always produce symptoms, many people’s daily lives are made uncomfortable by the presence of varicose veins. They can cause an aching and burning sensation that is often accompanied by numbness and tingling. Sometimes, the legs and ankles can swell as well, especially after spending a large portion of the day standing.

If you have varicose veins, you may be at a higher risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is when a blood clot forms in veins that are in deeper tissue. These clots have a much greater likelihood of traveling to the lungs.

Spider veins often appear on the legs, but they are not limited to them. They are also common on the face and chest. While they seldom produce symptoms or create risks to one’s health, they can have a severe impact on one’s appearance, looking like the strands of a spider web under the skin. Spider veins form in the smaller capillaries and can be blue, purple or red.

Sclerotherapy is a treatment for varicose and spider veins that is performed by injecting a solution into the problem vessels to close them off. The solution will cause the blood inside the vessel to thicken and the walls to become irritated. It will then turn into scar tissue, and the body will start to absorb it. After several weeks, the treated veins will no longer be visible.

Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure that allows patients to quickly return to their normal responsibilities. Activities like walking are actually encouraged because they reduce the chances of blood clots.

At Adams Dermatology, our skilled doctor can let you know if you are a good candidate for sclerotherapy and provide you with more detail about the therapy. Contact our office in Columbia to schedule your first appointment and learn more!

Author

Melanie Adams, MD, PA Melanie L. Adams, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist who has been in private, solo practice since September 2005. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. Her areas of expertise include skin cancer, dermatology of ethnic skin, general dermatology, and cosmetic dermatology.