Sclerotherapy and Laser Vein Removal treat varicose and spider veins, Often the treatment of choice for small varicose veins.
Laser Vein Treatments seal off the blood vessels and Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution directly into the vein. The sclerotherapy solution causes the vein to scar, forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually fades.
After sclerotherapy, treated veins tend to fade within a few weeks, although occasionally it may take a month or more to see the full results. In some instances, several sclerotherapy treatments may be needed.*
What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure done performed by Dr. Rubbani, to treat uncomplicated spider veins and uncomplicated reticular veins. The treatment involves the injection of a solution into the affected veins.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are large blue, dark purple veins. They protrude from the skin and many times they have a cord-like appearance and may twist or bulge. Varicose veins are found most frequently on the legs.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are very small and very fine red or blue veins. They are closer to the surface of the skin than varicose veins. They can look like a thin red line, tree branches or spider webs. Spider veins can be found on the legs and face and may cover a small or large area.
What are reticular veins?
Reticular veins can also be known as feeder veins. They are the blue and green veins beneath the surface of the skin.
Reticular veins enlarge because of increased pressure in the vein. They can be caused by heredity. You may have reticular veins alone but you may also have spider veins at the same time.
What causes spider and reticular veins?
- Spider and reticular veins can be caused by many factors.
- Heredity. Having a family member with prominent veins may increase the risk of you developing them.
- Age. The normal wear and tear of aging may cause valves in the veins to weaken and not work as well.
- Gender. Women are two to three times more likely to develop varicose veins than men. Up to half of the American women have varicose veins.
- Changes in hormones due to puberty, pregnancy, menopause, or taking birth control pills may increase a woman’s risk of developing varicose veins.
- Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the growth of the fetus increases the pressure on the veins in the legs. Varicose veins that occur during pregnancy usually improve within 3 to 12 months following delivery.
- Overweight and obesity. Having extra weight on the body can put additional pressure on the veins.
- Prolonged standing or sitting. This is particularly true with legs bent or crossed. When standing or sitting with legs bent or crossed, the veins have to work harder to pump the blood up to the heart.
Other possible causes for varicose veins are race, posture, occupation, hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, primary valvular incompetence, and incompetent perforating veins.
Asclera® (polidocanol) Injection is a prescription medicine that is used in a procedure called sclerotherapy to remove unwanted veins on your legs. It is administered by a healthcare provider to treat two types of veins:
- Uncomplicated spider veins (very small varicose veins ≤ 1 mm in diameter)
- Uncomplicated small varicose veins (1 to 3 mm in diameter) known as reticular veins
While sclerotherapy has long been considered the gold standard first-line treatment for small leg veins, with the new longer-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:Yag laser we can achieve a reduction in veins with just a few laser sessions without injections
The Nd:Yag laser is the current laser of choice for treating leg veins. A recent comparison of the treatment of lower extremity telangiectasias in 57 women with foam 0.5% polidocanol sclerotherapy (sclerotherapy versus 1064 laser found that both treatments result in >70% clearance. Patients were treated in 2 sessions at 6-week intervals and anesthesia was not used.
Dr Rubbani likes to combine both the 1064 laser and sclerotherapy in most patients.
*Individual Results may vary and no guarantees can be made.
**Results may vary. Unless noted otherwise, testimonials provided are patients of Tucson Cosmetics who have undergone completed treatment(s.) Before and after images reflect real results from real patients, although individual results may vary. Statements estimating treatment duration and the amount of treatments required are based on the typical experience of patients of Tucson Cosmetics, however, duration and amount of treatments needed may vary per client. A guarantee is neither provided nor implied.