Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein.
The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to collapse and stick together and the blood to clot
Sclerotherapy is a proven procedure that has been in use since the 1930s.
Candidates for Sclerotherapy
Prior to sclerotherapy, you will have an initial consultation with a dermatologist or vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
You are not eligible if you are pregnant. You can have sclerotherapy if you take birth control pills.
If you have had a blood clot in the past, your eligibility will be decided on an individual basis, and will depend on the overall health of the area needing treatment as well as the reason for the clot.
In most cases of sclerotherapy, the salt solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes.
The number of veins injected in one session depends on the size and location of the veins, as well as the general medical condition of the patient.
Sclerotherapy is performed in the doctor’s office by a dermatologist or a surgeon and requires that you do not do any aerobic activity for a few days after the procedure.