Sclerotherapy

What is the optimal spider vein treatment?

The most common treatment to remove spider veins is called sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy refers to injections of a special solution directly into the small vein which causes it to eventually disappear. The main solutions used are sodium tetradecyl sulfate (Sotradecol), polidocanol (Asclera / Aethoxysclerol), and hypertonic saline. Sclerotherapy is a minor procedure that is performed in the office with minimal pain - depending on the solution used. Spider veins are treated using very tiny needles, and therefore, feel like a tiny prick, rather than a painful injection. sclerotherapy-treatment Often, dramatic results will be evident after only one session, but most commonly 2-3 sessions are needed (spaced out over several weeks) to remove spider veins.

It is important to know that even spider veins may be caused by underlying venous insufficiency and if they are injected without treatment of the underlying disorder, they often will recur. Therefore, treatment of the underlying venous problem is sometimes necessary prior to performing spider vein treatment with sclerotherapy.

Costs and other details about sclerotherapy:

Sclerotherapy is $350 for a 30 minute session.
An initial session is a 10 minute consultation followed by 20 minutes of injections. Subsequent sessions are 30 minutes of injections.
The average patient will see a difference after the first treatment, but it often takes two or three treatments to see a big difference.
If you have a lot of questions about sclerotherapy, we strongly suggest that you schedule a separate consultation before the procedure. The $100 consult cost will be applied to the subsequent sclerotherapy session.
Not all patients are candidates for sclerotherapy; sometimes it is necessary to run tests before having the procedure done. If you fall in to this category, your visit will just be considered a standard consultation and will cost $100. Again, this can be deducted from your future sclerotherapy session.
In order to obtain the best possible results, compression stockings are essential and required. They are sold at a discounted rate in our office. We have certified fitters to assure the correct sizing and to show you how to put them on correctly.
If you are pregnant, we suggest that you wait until after childbirth to have treatments. Read our blog article on Pregnancy and Vein Treatment.

Want to know more?

Also read our blog article: What you should know about sclerotherapy. It answers more questions about the procedure, what to expect, and how to prepare.