Treatments
There are two treatments for spider veins, thermocoagulation and sclerotherapy. You can return to work or normal activity/exercise directly after either treatment. Thermocoagulation is most effective on the fine veins, especially at the ankles and feet, while sclerotherapy is more effective on the larger spider veins and small varicose veins. In certain people, both treatments will be used to maximize results.
Thermocoagulation
- Non-surgical, quick, painless treatment with immediate results.
- Involves a desk-top electrical device ("Veinwave") with an ultra-fine, insulated, nickel needle.
- Your physician applies the needle under the skin along the length of the vein, without piercing the blood vessel.
- The sensation caused by the needle has been compared to a pin prick or momentary stinging at most.
- Minor crusting may appear on the treatment site a few days later.
- Treatments take place in your doctor's office.
- Recovery is instant and there is no need to wear compression stockings.
Sclerotherapy
- Non-surgical, painless treatment.
- Involves injecting a chemical solution into your veins to cause them to collapse.
- The chemical irritates and scars your veins from the inside out so your abnormal spider veins can no longer fill with blood.
- Eventually, since they can no longer carry blood, they disappear.
- Your body will eventually absorb the veins.
- The job of carrying blood is transferred to other, healthy veins.
- The treatment is painless but it may require several sessions to treat each vein, although many veins can be treated at each session.
- You will need to wear support stockings for two to four weeks after treatment.
- Treatments are done in your doctor's office.
- The treated veins usually disappear over a period of a few months.
