Sclerotherapy
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Unsightly leg veins or spider veins are a common nuisance which can now be improved by a combination therapy using laser and injection technology.
What causes unsightly veins?
Factors responsible for their appearance include a genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors - primarily jobs that involve prolonged standing or sitting. Pregnancy can also provoke them.
Factors responsible for their appearance include a genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors - primarily jobs that involve prolonged standing or sitting. Pregnancy can also provoke them.
Treatments Available
Two main treatments options are available to you. One is sclerotherapy where a chemical - polidocanol is injected into the fine veins to irritate the lining of the vein and make them block off and die. This process, which is not instantaneous - the full effect being noticeable at 4-6 weeks following injection - causes the whole vein to shrink and disappear.
The newer method is laser using the long pulsed Nd: YAG which gradually heats up the vein causing it to block off and disappear.
Fine red veins - spider veins or telangiectasia - are best treated with sclerotherapy. The larger telangiectasia and the bluish-green feeder veins are most effectively treated with laser. Because most people have both vein types, a combination approach works better than either method alone.
Two main treatments options are available to you. One is sclerotherapy where a chemical - polidocanol is injected into the fine veins to irritate the lining of the vein and make them block off and die. This process, which is not instantaneous - the full effect being noticeable at 4-6 weeks following injection - causes the whole vein to shrink and disappear.
The newer method is laser using the long pulsed Nd: YAG which gradually heats up the vein causing it to block off and disappear.
Fine red veins - spider veins or telangiectasia - are best treated with sclerotherapy. The larger telangiectasia and the bluish-green feeder veins are most effectively treated with laser. Because most people have both vein types, a combination approach works better than either method alone.
Treatment
Please note the average patient requires several sessions, spaced 4-6 weeks apart to treat all veins.
Following treatment cotton wool balls are taped over the injection sites and support stockings or tights are worn for 2 weeks.
Risks of the procedure include bruising, pigmentation (brown) spots, skin ulcers, blood clots and allergic reactions, but fortunately these more serious side effects are rare.
Please note the average patient requires several sessions, spaced 4-6 weeks apart to treat all veins.
Following treatment cotton wool balls are taped over the injection sites and support stockings or tights are worn for 2 weeks.
Risks of the procedure include bruising, pigmentation (brown) spots, skin ulcers, blood clots and allergic reactions, but fortunately these more serious side effects are rare.
Treatment with lasers
The laser light is fired through a jet of cold air to cool the impact site of the laser upon the skin. The patient feels a sudden hot sensation which is like a static discharge you sometimes experience when walking across a carpeted room and touch a door handle. Each impact is over in less than a second. Anaesthetic cream is seldom required but can be applied one hour prior to the procedure to reduce discomfort if required.
Lasers use light energy which is absorbed by the haemoglobin in blood to heat up and damage the lining cells of the vein, causing it to shrink up and disappear.
The laser light is fired through a jet of cold air to cool the impact site of the laser upon the skin. The patient feels a sudden hot sensation which is like a static discharge you sometimes experience when walking across a carpeted room and touch a door handle. Each impact is over in less than a second. Anaesthetic cream is seldom required but can be applied one hour prior to the procedure to reduce discomfort if required.
Lasers use light energy which is absorbed by the haemoglobin in blood to heat up and damage the lining cells of the vein, causing it to shrink up and disappear.
