Sclerotherapy (Thread Vein Removal Treatment)

Sclerotherapy is a procedure designed to improve the appearance of fine thread and spider veins that often appear in clusters close to the surface of the skin. During treatment, the veins are injected with a Sclerosant solution which damages their internal lining and causes highly localised blood clotting. In time, your own body will break down the injected veins and they will disappear.

The Sclerosant solution acts to cause mild irritation to the inner lining of the injected vein. This irritation causes the walls to become sticky so that when compression is applied, the vein walls stick together and collapse. Once the veins have collapsed, they are no longer useful to the body and are eventually broken down. As part of the treatment relies on the body’s natural processes, it can take a number of months before the vessels fully disappear.

Before a patient can be treated for Sclerotherapy, it is imperative to be seen by a qualified practitioner who will conduct a thorough free, no obligation consultation and ascertain suitability for treatment. The sclerosant is injected directly in to the thread vein using a needle as fine as a human hair. The number of injections can vary depending on the extent and number of spider veins present at the treatment site, with the procedure usually finished within an hour.

Following Sclerotherapy treatment, you should expect to see a dramatic reduction in the appearance of thread veins at the treatment site. It should be noted that in order for Sclerotherapy to be effective, more than one treatment will be required. Each person is an individual and the extent and degree of thread veins will vary from person to person, as will the number of treatments required. Treatments are advised to take place approximately 4 to 6 weeks apart.

As the needle used to inject the Sclerosant is ultra-fine, most people experience only very mild discomfort. The injection sensation has been likened by many to a ‘scratch’ or ‘plucking of hair’.

As the Sclerosant enters the vein an immediate inflammatory reaction takes place, temporarily making the vein more noticeable. This is part of the treatment process and usually subsides within minutes. Localised redness, swelling and itching may occur in the treatment area; however these symptoms are normally self-limiting and are mostly resolved within 24 to 48 hours post treatment. On rare occasions brown lines or spots may appear on the skin at the treatment site, when blood escapes from treated vessels in to the surrounding tissue. If this does occur, it will disappear gradually over the following months.