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What are the advantages of sclerotherapy?

Advantages of sclerotherapy include:

• No anesthesia. With enough compression from the bandage on the vein, there is little pain. Compression also may help with bruising and swelling.
• Good results for most people. Sclerotherapy works especially well on smaller varicose veins. A session may get rid of an estimated 50% to 80% of injected veins. In about 10% of cases, sclerotherapy doesn’t work. If this happens, your healthcare provider can try different solutions or a different method, such as laser therapy.
• Fairly quick results for small veins. Spider veins usually respond to treatment in three to six weeks, but it may take three to four months for larger veins.
• With successful treatment, varicose veins or spider veins won’t reappear. However, you may need treatment for new varicose veins that form.

What are the risks or complications of sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy takes longer than surgery for varicose veins or spider veins. It can also have side effects.

Side effects of sclerotherapy may include the following:

• Larger injected veins may get lumpy or hard for several months.
• The redness where the needle went in should go away within a few days.
• Brown lines or spots on your skin at the site of the injection usually go away within three to six months. However, about 5% of the time, they can be permanent.
• Bruising where the injection happened can last several days or weeks.
• Tiny blood vessels may develop in the treated area. They may appear days or weeks after your sclerotherapy but should fade within a few months. Usually, they don’t need further treatment.
• Allergic reactions to the injected chemical may happen at the time of the injection and are rarely serious. Symptoms include itching and swelling.

Other side effects rarely develop after sclerotherapy. If you have any of these rare side effects, contact your healthcare provider immediately:

• Inflammation (swelling) within five inches of your groin.
• Sudden swelling in your leg.
• Formation of small ulcers at an injection site.
• Red streaking, especially in your groin area.