Sclerotherapy for Varicose and Spider Veins
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to eliminate varicose veins and spider veins. Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to collapse and stick together and the blood to clot. Over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue that fades from view.
Sclerotherapy is a proven procedure that has been in use since the 1930s.
Candidates for Sclerotherapy
Prior to sclerotherapy, you will have an initial consultation with a dermatologist or vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
You are not eligible if you are pregnant. You can have sclerotherapy if you take birth control pills. If you have had a blood clot in the past, your eligibility will be decided on an individual basis, and will depend on the overall health of the area needing treatment as well as the reason for the clot.
Veins that are potentially usable for future heart bypass surgery will generally not be considered for sclerotherapy, unless they are already deemed unusable.
How Sclerotherapy Is Done
In most cases of sclerotherapy, the salt solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes.
Sclerotherapy is performed in the doctor’s office by a dermatologist or a surgeon and requires that you do not do any aerobic activity for a few days after the procedure.
Visit the Skin Centre, specialist laser and surgery clinic for a consultation to see what they can do for you to restore the “you” that you deserve!
The staff and medical personnel at the Skin Centre are highly trained, exceptionally skilled medical and aesthetic professionals. The staff and medical programme is headed by a specialist dermatological surgeon.
The vision of the healthcare professionals at the Skin Centre is to provide the most advanced, up to date, and effective medical and aesthetic treatments currently available, under supervision.
Furthermore, in keeping with current trends, the patient is viewed in a holistic manner, and selection of interventions and therapies are based on proper analysis and accurate diagnoses, combined with the best therapies available in the skin care world.
Contact: 031 – 566 1336/58, skin@skincentre.co.za, www.skincentre.co.za