Sclerotherapy

Spider veins are unsightly clusters of small blood vessels most commonly found on the legs. They develop over time, and may be related to pregnancy, the use of birth control pills heredity or some other medical issues. The treatment involves injecting a chemical, using a tiny needle, directly into the blood vessel. This needle is so small that it is almost painless, and certainly very well tolerated. This chemical irritates the inside of the vein causing it to collapse and dissappear. There are a variety of solutions which can be used, such as hypertonic saline(salt water), liquid detergents, or naturally found chemicals. Dr Friedlander will examine you and advise you on the treatment for your particular problem. The veins are often interconnected, so a single injection may cause many veins to disappear. The treatment takes 30-60 minutes. If you have large areas that need to be treated, more than one visit may be required. You will need to wear support stockings for a few days afterward and you can return to working out after several days as well. Brownish discoloration can occur after treatment. His is related to the blood in the vessels breaking down and being absorbed like a bruise. This usually improves spontaneously in a few weeks.

Dr Friedlander also offers laser treatment of spider veins. The energy in the laser light causes the veins to collapse and seal off. The laser leaves tiny bruises along the vein, which take several weeks to disappear. Although the success of laser is similar to sclerotherapy, you are more likely to see long term hyperpigmentation or brownish discoloration here.

Sclerotherapy is best used on smaller veins. Surgery may be required for larger vessels.