sclerotherapy Archives - Delaware Vein Center

Feeling self-conscious about your spider veins? Then sclerotherapy treatment may be the answer for you. It’s a quick, non-surgical treatment to reduce the appearance of spider veins and some varicose veins. If it’s your first time, here’s what to expect before and after your treatment.

How to Prepare Before Your Sclerotherapy Treatment

1. Adjust Your Medications

It’s important to let your doctor know about any medical conditions, allergies, and medications you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements, and vitamins. They might tell you to adjust your medications in the days prior to treatment.

For instance, you’ll probably need to take a break from using Vitamin E supplements or certain pain relievers like Advil or aspirin. These can thin your blood, and pausing them helps minimize any risk of excessive bleeding. If you’re on medication specifically for blood thinning, your doctor might also suggest you stop these a few days prior to the treatment to avoid potential adverse reactions.

2. Dress Comfortably

On the day of your procedure, it’s all about ensuring comfort and optimizing conditions for the treatment. Start by choosing vein-friendly clothes that you feel relaxed in—nothing too snug. In fact, you might want to opt for shorts since they could be necessary during the procedure.

3. Prep Your Skin

Equally important is how you prep your skin. It’s best to skip the lotions, creams, or any skincare products on your legs or near the treatment area for that day. Avoid tanning or getting a sunburn before your session as both can throw a wrench in the treatment process.

4. Hydrate

Drink plenty of water before your appointment to ensure you’re well-hydrated. It’s also best to steer clear of any alcoholic drinks and nicotine for at least 24 hours before treatment.

5. Eat a Light Meal

You don’t want to undergo sclerotherapy on an empty stomach. But at the same time, a heavy meal could leave you feeling pretty uncomfortable. So find a happy middle ground.

Best Practices for a Successful Recovery After Sclerotherapy

1. Avoid Strenuous Exercise

After sclerotherapy, maintaining light exercise is key to preventing blood clots. Doctors often recommend multiple brief strolls throughout the day. You’ll want to avoid strenuous activities, like lifting heavy objects or engaging in high-impact exercises. Your healthcare provider will inform you how long you should adhere to this exercise regimen—often around 10 days or more.

2. Wear Compression Stockings

Compression stockings are a key post-sclerotherapy accessory. Expect to wear these tight-fitting socks for about 2-3 weeks post-treatment. They’re designed to exert the perfect amount of pressure on your treated veins, making a real difference in your healing process. Plus they ramp up your treatment’s effectiveness, pushing you closer to the results you’re after.

3. Stay Cool

Steer clear of hot baths, sunbathing, hot tubs, and saunas for at least 2-3 days post-treatment. The heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, which you’re looking to avoid after sclerotherapy. If you need to freshen up, showers are fine, but keep the water cooler than usual. You should also resist the urge to scratch or irritate your injection spots, as this could lead to scarring.

4. Take Doctor-Approved Pain Medications

When managing your comfort post-sclerotherapy, stick to any medication guidelines your doctor has given you. If you’re feeling some discomfort, it’s generally okay to use over-the-counter pain relievers—but only if your doctor gives the thumbs up.

5. Focus on Nutrition

Remember to drink enough water and focus on a diet that promotes good circulation and supports healing. Indulge in high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and snacks bursting with vitamins, while keeping it low on sodium and high on healthy fats.

6. Schedule a Follow-Up Appointment

Follow-up appointments are key. Your vein specialist will use ultrasound imaging to check how well the treatment worked and examine the condition of your deeper veins. You’ll receive direct, professional guidance on your progress and what you can anticipate moving forward.

How to Know If You Need More Treatments

Sclerotherapy is certainly effective, but it doesn’t guarantee that veins won’t make a comeback. Typically, it takes around 2-3 sessions for your veins to fully vanish. But don’t be surprised if you need up to five sessions.

Evaluate the results of your initial treatment after the recovery period. Keep an eye out for any veins that continue to stand out or haven’t improved. Use before-and-after photos for a side-by-side comparison to really gauge the changes from your treatment. Sometimes the differences are subtle, so direct comparison can be revealing in understanding the full impact of your sclerotherapy session.

Should you notice recurring symptoms like discomfort, aching, or swelling, it might signal the need for additional treatments. It’s also worth noting that while uncommon, side effects such as mild cramping, scarring, or a temporary change in skin color can occur. These nuances are all part of the journey, so keeping an open dialogue with your specialist is crucial for navigating what’s normal and what might require a bit more attention.

Ultimately, the decision to go for another round of treatment is yours, especially if your veins aren’t causing significant health concerns. If you find that vein-related discomfort is intruding on your day-to-day life or knocking your confidence, it could be time to think about further intervention. However, if the concerns are primarily cosmetic, there’s no pressure to rush back for more procedures unless it’s something you truly value.

Filed under: Spider Veins, Vein TreatmentTagged with: compression stockings, sclerotherapy, spider vein removal, spider veins, vein care, vein treatment

Just when you thought the spider veins on your legs were a problem, you notice them on your face. Yikes! But not to worry, this is completely normal. The skin on the face is thin, sensitive, and constantly exposed. It’s the perfect storm to develop spider veins.

The good news is, facial spider veins are preventable…or if it’s too late, treatable! Let’s talk about why they happen and how you can remove them for good.

What Causes Spider Veins on the Face?

Spider veins form when the capillaries in the skin on your face become dilated. This happens from poor blood circulation and aging, damaged skin. Broken blood vessels on the face can develop at any age, but some people may have a higher chance of developing them than others.

Some causes of broken blood vessels on the face include:

Genetics: People with family members who experience spider veins are more likely to have them.
Excessive sun exposure: Sun damage can enlarge the blood vessels and draw them closer to the skin.
Changes in weather: Drastic changes in the weather can affect blood circulation, causing the skin on the face to flush. The blood vessels may burst and cause a spider vein to form.
Changes in pressure: A sudden, extreme change in pressure can cause spider veins to appear. A hard sneeze or vomiting can cause this change in pressure.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy may also cause spider veins on the face. But they usually disappear after giving birth.
Environmental irritants: Exposure to certain chemicals or environmental pollutants may damage the skin and make blood vessels more visible.
Rosacea: Rosacea is a common condition that causes fair skin to become flushed and red due to enlarged veins.
Alcohol consumption: Alcohol can dilate the blood vessels temporarily. Frequent alcohol consumption can lead to longer-lasting broken blood vessels and redness on the face.
Injuries: Head injuries that cause bruising may cause broken blood vessels. In this case, the blood vessels usually heal when the bruise does.

Home Remedies for Spider Veins on the Face

Cold compress: A simple cold compress, such as an ice pack or bag of frozen peas, can be applied to the face after sun or heat exposure. The cold may help reduce the appearance of burst blood vessels in the face.
Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar acts as an astringent on the skin, pulling it tight to reduce redness. This may help with the appearance of spider veins in some people.
Aloe vera: The gel from an aloe vera plant may be helpful in treating skin redness. Research has found that aloe vera could reduce redness but it tends to dry out the skin cells.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C supplements may help reduce the appearance of broken blood vessels on the face. It plays a key role in keeping the blood vessels healthy.

You can also treat spider vein removal professionally using methods like Sclerotherapy, Laser Therapy, or Intense Pulled Light (IPL) Therapy. Please note that Delaware Advanced Vein Center does not treat facial veins.

How to Prevent Spider Veins on the Face

Avoid extreme heat: Very high temperatures from spas, saunas, or hot water may dilate the blood vessels and increase the chances of spider veins appearing.
Limit sun exposure: Wearing sunscreen, a hat, and long layers of clothing can help reduce the chances of spider veins from sun damage.
Wear protection: Protective gear may help avoid spider veins caused by an injury. Examples include facemasks and helmets for baseball, cycling, or riding a motorcycle.
Avoid vasodilators: Vasodilators cause vessels to fill with blood and may make spider veins more noticeable. Common vasodilators include caffeine, spicy foods, and alcohol.

Spider veins cause no pain or additional symptoms, but it’s normal to be bothered by their appearance. If this sounds like you, try to determine the direct cause and take steps to treat and avoid them coming back. In some cases, broken blood vessels on the face may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Anyone uncertain about the cause of their spider veins should visit a vein specialist for a proper examination and diagnosis.

Filed under: Spider Veins, Vein TreatmentTagged with: home remedies, sclerotherapy, spider veins, spider veins on face, sun damage, veins on the face

Our blood moves through the body via blood vessels with the goal of reaching our heart. But when blood has a hard time being transported, it can pool up in our veins. This can manifest itself as bulging in legs, hands, and feet. These swollen veins can look unappealing and really show off our age.

The good news is most bulging veins aren’t actually a sign of poor health. But there are instances where they may arise from an underlying disease. Whatever the cause or effect, let’s discuss everything you need to know about bulging veins.

8 Common Causes of Bulging Veins

Bulging veins can be identified by their rope-like shape and bluish-green tone. While they’re not an inherent health threat, none of us want to have them on our skin. So why are my veins popping out? Here are some of the reasons why they appear:

Aging: As we age, our skin gets thinner and less elastic, making our blood vessels more visible. While not particularly desirable, it’s all part of the aging process.
Genetics: Having family members with bulging veins increases your chances of getting them.
Hot Weather: Heat can make veins more prominent and enlarged. Because they have to work harder in high temperatures, veins become more visible.
Hormone Imbalance: Pregnancy or menopause can lead to a hormone imbalance. One of the symptoms is bulging veins. Pregnancy may also put pressure on veins, making it harder for blood flow to get back to the heart.
Exercise: Heavy lifting for long periods of time can make blood flow increase. The muscles harden, causing more visible blood vessels. Over-stretching can also play a role in making veins pop out.
Blood Clots: Also known as thrombophlebitis, this condition can cause swollen veins that feel tough.
Body Fat Loss: Our skin has a layer of fat that serves as an insulator. When you lose weight, that layer thins, making veins more visible.
Health Conditions: Underlying heart problems can cause a chronic increase in blood pressure. This weakens the veins and can cause popping.

The causes of bulging veins differ from that of varicose veins. Varicose veins are often caused by damaged or weakened valves. Not all bulging veins are varicose veins, deeming them generally harmless. But if they cause pain and discomfort, it may be an underlying problem from untreated varicose veins. Let’s explain.

Are Bulging Veins the Same as Varicose Veins?

There are a few ways to tell the difference between a regular bulging vein and varicose veins. The first is where the vein is located. Bulging veins can pop up in various places. But varicose veins usually show up on your legs. This is where blood has to work the hardest to travel back to your heart.

Though similar in appearance, varicose and bulging veins have a slightly different look to them. They both have a rope-like structure. But varicose veins are generally larger and more twisted. Bulging veins are smaller with a green-blue hue. Varicose veins have a more purple-blue color.

Symptoms can help you identify whether you’re dealing with bulging or varicose veins. Bulging veins can be purely aesthetic and may have no real symptoms. Varicose veins; however, come with pain, discomfort, swelling, changes in skin texture, and even ulcers.

Can Bulging Veins Go Away?

Usually, bulging veins will go away on their own. Especially ones that are caused by exercise or hot weather. But if popping veins run in your family or come from underlying conditions, you may need treatment to help them go away. Here are some options:

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs can help decrease the swelling of bulging veins.
Sclerotherapy injects a chemical solution into targeted veins and makes them close.
Ambulatory phlebectomy is the removal of the targeted veins via small incisions. While you’re under general anesthesia, your doctor will make an incision, tie off the vein, and remove it. The blood that used to run in the vein is automatically shifted and the closed vein eventually fades away.

What Can You Do To Prevent Bulging Veins From Forming?

As we’ve learned, bulging veins often have genetic causes. So while we can’t always stop them from forming, there are things we can do to lessen the appearance of bulging veins or prevent new ones from popping up.

Improve Your Heart Rate, Reduce Your Weight

Routine exercise improves circulation, prevents blood from pooling in veins, and helps with weight loss. Being overweight puts extra pressure on your veins. This increases your chances of developing bulging veins. So maintaining a healthy diet and workout routine is an advantageous step in treating or preventing bulging veins.

Sport a Pro-Vein Wardrobe

Wearing tight clothing could actually be the cause of your vein problems. Overly fitted garments restrain blood flow, which can then cause bulging veins to form. Sporting a loose-fitting, free-flowing wardrobe can help. And to further reduce your risk, compression socks can even out the pressure on your veins and prevent blood pooling.

Switch up Your Position

Refrain from standing, sitting, or crossing your legs for extended periods of time. Doing so can cause blood to pool in your veins. Elevating your legs to a position higher than your heart can also improve blood flow. Taking periodic breaks and stretching are both helpful ways to prevent and lessen bulging veins.

Trade Bad Habits for Healthy Ones

We all know that smoking is bad for us. It damages our blood vessels and restricts blood flow. This enlarges your veins and can cause them to bulge out. If you don’t want this to happen, stop smoking and start drinking—water that is. Getting lots of hydration keeps the blood flowing. This reduces pressure on your veins and can even help with skin elasticity.

When All Else Fails, Bulging Veins Can Be Fixed

Bulging veins are not a serious medical issue for the majority of people. But if you’re concerned that your popping veins are something serious (or if you just don’t like the way they look) make an appointment with a vein doctor.

If there’s a serious problem with your veins, a doctor can recommend treatment. And if you want them removed for cosmetic purposes, they can also make a suggestion for the best procedure. If bulging veins are a sign of a more serious condition, your doctor will offer specific medical treatments.

Filed under: Vein Health, Vein TreatmentTagged with: ambulatory phlebectomy, bulging veins in legs, popping veins, sclerotherapy, why are my veins popping out

Do you have any concerns about your legs turning a reddish-brown color? This could be an indication that the veins in question are suffering from hemosiderin staining and potential problems with their health.

As we get older, it’s normal for our skin to thin, dry out, and lose elasticity. But it can be more concerning when you notice unusual changes in color and texture on your knees, legs, or ankles. If you notice a brown discoloration on the lower legs, it could point out a problem with your veins. For this reason alone, it’s important to understand why brown skin stains appear and what you can do to treat them.

What Is Hemosiderin Staining?

Hemosiderin staining occurs when red blood cells leak through the veins and iron or other byproducts are released. The brown stain shows up on the skin as a result of this symptom, which can happen for several reasons.

What Causes Hemosiderin Staining?

Chronic Vein Disease

In addition to its unsightly appearance, hemosiderin staining indicates an underlying health condition. The reddish-brown discoloration on the lower legs is caused by chronic venous disease–the abnormal function of veins.

When your veins can’t pump blood back up to the heart properly, it pools in your lower legs. Symptoms start with slight skin irritations and itchiness, then manifest varicose veins. Other vein disease symptoms that can lead to brown staining are:

High blood pressure – veins force blood through the veins and sometimes through the skin.
Vein ulcers – slow-healing or non-healing wounds.

As blood continues to pool in the veins, its cells break down and leak iron pigments into the skin. Over time, this shows up as brown patches or stains on the lower leg or ankle. When unaddressed, the stain will darken and eventually may turn black. At this point, these symptoms are unfortunately permanent even when vein disease is treated. BUT! If caught early enough, chronic venous disease can be controlled and hemosiderin staining will fade.

Sclerotherapy Staining Side-Effect

Sclerotherapy is one of the treatment options for vein disease and varicose veins. It involves the injection of a substance known as a sclerosant into the affected veins. This makes the veins reduce in size.

In some cases, this treatment may leave the patient with brown skin discoloration as a result of hemosiderin (iron) deposits. This discoloration is usually transient and disappears in a couple of weeks; however, in some people, the stain ends up being permanent.

If you are considering sclerotherapy treatment, consider the following factors that are associated with the hemosiderin staining side effect:

Dark skin type
Sensitive skin
Older patients with fragile veins
Taking certain medication
Experience of the vein doctor

Treating the Condition, NOT the Symptom

Most patients will go to a dermatologist or primary care physician for the skin condition, not the underlying vein disease of hemosiderin staining. As a result, they may not get an accurate diagnosis.

If you have brown skin discoloration on the knees, lower legs, or ankles, make an appointment with a vein specialist as this could be early signs of vein disease…especially if accompanied by achy, heavy, and swollen legs.

Early treatment of your vein disease may help lighten the brown stains caused by hemosiderin staining, and even keep them from getting darker. Once diagnosed, the goal is to reroute the blood to healthier veins and fade unwanted veins, stains, and pains. The sooner you treat your vein condition, the better you’ll feel and the fewer complications you’ll experience.

Filed under: Varicose Veins, Vein Health, Vein TreatmentTagged with: brown legs, hemosiderin staining, sclerotherapy, skin discoloration, varicose veins, vein health, vein treatment

Getting rid of spider veins or varicose veins can seem like a daunting task. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, compression stockings, or non-invasive procedures.

Before you even consider making a doctor’s appointment, you may have a lot of questions like:

What treatments are available?
Does insurance cover it?
And of course, how much is it going to cost?

Let’s dive into pricing and insurance for spider veins and varicose vein treatment.

Common Vein Removal Treatments and Their Cost

How much it will cost to finally say goodbye to painful, unwanted veins for good?

Now, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer because different procedures have different costs. Let’s break down the price tags associated with each.

Sclerotherapy

What is it? A common treatment for spider veins and small varicose veins. The vein is injected with a solution that breaks down the vein walls.
Does insurance cover it? No. It’s considered cosmetic.
How much does it cost? The average cost of a sclerotherapy treatment is about $350. The provider’s fee and geographic location will affect the cost.

Ablations

What is it? Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) is a procedure used to treat varicose veins and patients with venous insufficiency. A catheter is inserted into the vein and delivers a high-frequency current to collapse it.
Does insurance cover it? Vein ablations for varicose veins are covered by most insurance plans. You will need to check your plan’s coverage as you may be responsible for a portion depending on your plan.
How much does it cost? The average cost of a vein ablation is about $1500-$2000 per vein out of pocket.

What Can Affect the Cost of Vein Procedures?

Medical versus Cosmetic: If you have a medical diagnosis of vein disease, your insurance may cover treatment. You still may be responsible for your copay or deductible depending on your plan. If it’s purely cosmetic, insurance will not cover it.
The Number of Treatments: The reality is, you may need more than one treatment to get the best results. It can require up to four depending on the severity of your veins.

Insurance That May Cover Vein Removal Treatment

Medicare, most HMOs, and other major insurance plans will cover vein treatment if medically necessary. You may need to get prior authorization before the procedure. In most cases, your doctor’s office will get the necessary authorizations for you. Find out what insurance plans we take.

How to Identify Your Insurance Coverage

The best way to find out if vein treatment is covered by your insurance plan is to call. Give them detailed information about what treatment you need. You may need the provider’s information and procedure code, which you can get from the doctor’s office that is going to do the procedure.

What to Do if the Procedure Isn’t Covered

If your insurance does not cover the vein procedure, you may be able to pay out of pocket. You can also set up a payment plan with your doctor’s office or apply for Health Care financing through Care Credit.

Why Vein Procedures Are Worth It

Remember, paying for spider or varicose vein treatment is an investment in yourself. It continues to prove worthwhile to a growing number of our patients.

There will be no more leg pain or discomfort. You can get back to activities you love and show off your vein-free legs!

Filed under: Spider Veins, Varicose Veins, Vein TreatmentTagged with: sclerotherapy, varicose veins, vein doctor, vein treatment