Ultrasound sclerotherapy for the removal of varicose veins

In the past, people with large varicose veins had no option but to treat them with conventional plastic surgery techniques. These techniques often involved pain, bleeding and general anesthesia as the veins were stripped out of the body using surgical instruments. Smaller veins could be treated with sclerotherapy, a method of injecting a substance into veins that would cause them to shrink and disappear. Conventionally, sclerotherapy was only used on these smaller veins; that is, until the advent of new technology called ultrasound guided sclerotherapy.

Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy is a godsend for individuals who have always wanted a fast, relatively painless method for varicose vein removal. Often a single treatment with ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy will also remove a cluster of spider veins especially if they are networked with large varicose veins. This is an important point because often before having conventional sclerotherapy you may be asked by your surgeon to deal with very large varicose veins first if you suffer from both spider and varicose veins. Varicose veins are dead veins that are very painful and laser surgery on the skin surrounding them can cause all kinds of discomfort and complications. Obviously, if there is a chance that ultrasound guided sclerotherapy can remove them all then you will greatly minimize the cost of your total treatment.

Ultrasound sclerotherapy is not for people who like immediate gratification. Immediately following the treatment the veins may look even worse than before you started the treatments. Mostly the treated veins will appear darker than usual but this effect usually disappears within a week. It usually takes between six and eight weeks for the varicose veins to vanish from sight for good.

Also realize that ultrasound sclerotherapy is not a cure for varicose veins. Even though it may permanently remove existing veins it cannot prevent the development of new varicose veins over time.

Ultrasound sclerotherapy is similar to conventional sclerotherapy. The only difference is that the doctor has a monitor on which he can visually see veins that cannot be seen with the ordinary eye. This means that he can find hidden veins beneath the surface of the skin and eliminate them with greater accuracy and precision. The procedure is also considered safer for treating very large veins.

Ultrasound sclerotherapy is never performed on very small veins, such as spider veins, simply because the vein being treated has to be large enough to receive a substance injected from a needle. Usually spider veins, especially on the face, are treated with lasers instead.

Treatment with ultrasound scleratherapy usually lasts between fifteen minutes and an hour depending on how extensive the varicose vein removal is. During a sclerotherapy treatment a liquid agent is injected through a tiny needle directly into the veins, causing them to contract and collapse. It is a very simple procedure that can be performed without anesthesia or painkillers in a doctor’s office. Depending on the number of veins to be removed, the procedure can take anywhere from two minutes to two hours.

After the veins are disabled by the injection, you will be required to wear a special type of pantyhose called compression hose for the next couple of days. This prevents any veins from distending themselves or clumping. You will also be required to avoid activities that affect the circulatory and vascular systems including; exercise, saunas, hot baths and drinking alcohol.

Complications of sclerotherapy are very rare, especially with the ultrasound version of sclerotherapy, but some people do experience phenomena called “matting” where the varicose veins seem to clump up and create an even more involved network of veins beneath the skin. Discolorations and bruises can also occur over the treated site. Skin necrosis (death of tissue) might also occur if the blood flow in the area is not sufficient and somehow the removal of the veins blocks nutrient and oxygen supply to tissues in the treated area. To avoid post vein removal complications follow your doctor’s post-operative recommendations as closely as possible.

Expect that two to six ultrasound sclerotherapy sessions spaced at one to two month intervals may be necessary to achieve your desired results. Each treatment may cost anywhere from $100 to $400 per session. Usually, treatments offered by a plastic surgeon or dermatological surgeon are more expensive than those offered by a cosmetician.