Sclerotherapy is one of the oldest procedures in medicine, and has been performed for hundreds of years. During sclerotherapy, a dilute medication is injected into the visible varicose veins or spider veins. The medication irritates and scars the abnormal varicose veins from the  inside out so that they no longer fill with blood. Blood that would normally return to the heart through these veins will return to the heart through other normal veins. As the treated veins close and shrink up over time, your body will eventually absorb those veins. Occasionally,  sclerotherapy may need to be repeated in the same vein to completely close the vein.

Complications of sclerotherapy include hyperpigmentation and skin irritation. Hyperpigmentation means increased skin color at the treated area (like a faint birthmark), and occurs in about 5 to 8% of patients. In most patients, the increased color gradually fades to normal over time.  Skin irritation is rare, and can occur if the medication is of a relatively higher concentration, and is injected outside the vein into the surrounding skin. At Center for Interventional Medicine, we take numerous precautions to reduce the possibility of a complication occurring.

Sclerotherapy is a good technique to use on any remaining varicose veins or spider veins after the venous reflux, the underlying cause of the varicose veins, has been treated with the VNUS Closure procedure. If done without treating the underlying venous reflux disease, there is a  good chance that the unsightly varicose veins or spider veins will return.