Kentville, NS Summerside, PEI
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Home Veins Sclerotherapy

SclerotherapyInjected, not operated on.

A liquid agent is injected into the vein through a fine needle, making it shrink and disappear over the weeks that follow.

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Performed by a vascular surgeonRoyal College certified, seven years of specialist training Ultrasound and consult in one visitYour scan is read with you the same day Treating veins since 2007Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

Who it is for

Is this right for me?

The short answer is that the ultrasound decides. Here is how we think about it.

Sclerotherapy suits spider veins and reticular veins: the small clusters of red, blue or purple vessels on the legs and ankles, and the slightly larger blue-green veins sitting just under the skin. Around half of adults get them at some point.

Because the needle has to fit inside the vessel, it works best on medium to larger veins. For the very finest surface veins, elōs™ laser reaches what a needle cannot, and the two are often used together.

If the ultrasound shows a larger refluxing vein underneath, treating the surface alone tends to disappoint. That is a case for EVLT first.

Symptoms we treat

  • Aching legs
  • Heaviness
  • Swelling
  • Night cramps
  • Visible bulging veins
  • Skin changes or discolouration

Any of these, with or without veins you can see, is worth an assessment.

The procedure day

How it works

Step by step, so there are no surprises on the day.

  1. Step 1

    Your legs are assessed

    Which veins are treated, and in what order, depends on the size, depth and distribution of the vessels, and on what the ultrasound showed.

  2. Step 2

    The skin is cleaned and the vein located

    You lie down, and the vein is identified by eye.

  3. Step 3

    The agent is injected

    A fine needle delivers the sclerosant into the vessel. Most people describe a brief sting.

  4. Step 4

    The vein is compressed

    Pressure is applied along the treated vein, which is part of how the treatment works.

  5. Step 5

    Compression stockings go on

    You will wear them for fourteen days. This is not optional: it is part of what makes the treatment work.

  6. Step 6

    You walk out

    There is no anesthetic and no recovery room. You will be asked to keep moving normally.

Each session typically produces about a 50% improvement, so plan for more than one. How many depends on how many vessels you have and how they respond.

Getting ready

Before your appointment

A few practical things that make the day easier.

What to wear

Loose clothing and shoes you can walk comfortably in.

Compression

Have your stockings ready for the fourteen days afterward. Our certified fitters will measure you: see the compression therapy page.

Driving

No sedation is used, so driving yourself is usually fine. [CLIENT TO CONFIRM: is a driver ever recommended after sclerotherapy, for example after a long session?]

Plan the next few days

For two to three days afterward you will avoid exercise, hot baths and alcohol, so pick a week where that is easy.

What happens afterward

Recovery

What to expect, and when.

  1. Day 0

    Compression stockings go on and stay on. You walk out and carry on with your day.

  2. Days 1 to 3

    Avoid exercise, hot baths and alcohol. Keep moving normally in between.

  3. Weeks 1 to 2

    Compression stockings are worn for the full fourteen days. Treated veins fade gradually rather than disappearing at once.

  4. Weeks 4 to 6

    [CLIENT TO CONFIRM: when is the next session usually scheduled, and when should patients expect to see the final result of a session?]

Being straight with you

Side effects and suitability

No treatment is right for everyone, and this is what we tell patients before they decide.

Possible side effects

  • Bruising around the injection sites.
  • Temporary darkening along the line of the treated vein.
  • Matting: a patch of fine new vessels near a treated area.
  • [CLIENT TO CONFIRM: which side effects does the clinic counsel patients about for sclerotherapy specifically? The list here is drawn from the vascular lesion FAQ.]

Tell us about anything sharp, escalating or unexpected rather than waiting for your next appointment.

When it may not be recommended

  • You are pregnant.
  • You have a bleeding or clotting condition, or take a blood thinner. These need individual review: never stop a prescribed medicine for a treatment unless the prescriber tells you to.
  • There is infection, open or inflamed skin in the area.
  • The veins are large, bulging or symptomatic, which may point to reflux underneath and needs a medical vein assessment first.

What to expect

Results and evidence

What the treatment does, and what the published evidence says about it.

Each session typically produces about a 50% improvement. Treated vessels fade over the weeks that follow rather than vanishing on the day, and most people need more than one session.

Sclerotherapy treats the vessels you have now. It does not stop new ones forming, which is why prevention and compression matter alongside it.

What the research says

Endothermal ablation, the group of treatments that includes endovenous laser, is recommended as first-line treatment for confirmed varicose veins with reflux in the NICE guideline on varicose veins (CG168). A randomised trial comparing laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, foam sclerotherapy and surgical stripping was published by Rasmussen and colleagues in the British Journal of Surgery in 2011.

[CLIENT TO CONFIRM: Dr Davidson to approve citation. Suggested: NICE CG168, Varicose veins: diagnosis and management; and Rasmussen LH et al., Br J Surg 2011]

Paying for it

Cost and coverage

The question most people arrive with.

Payment options depend on what is being treated and why. Some vein care has public coverage and some does not, and we would rather tell you plainly at your consultation than have you guess. What applies depends on the clinical picture, and that is exactly what the ultrasound establishes.

Cost, coverage and financing

Sclerotherapy, answered

Questions

The questions patients ask us most often.

How many sessions will I need?

Each session typically produces about a 50% improvement, so plan for more than one. The number depends on how many vessels you have, their size and how they respond.

Does it hurt?

Most people describe a brief sting as the agent goes in. No anesthetic is used.

Why do I have to wear compression for fourteen days?

Compression is part of what makes the treatment work, not an optional extra. You will wear stockings for fourteen days afterward.

What do I need to avoid afterward?

For two to three days after treatment, avoid exercise, hot baths and alcohol.

Can sclerotherapy and laser be combined?

Yes. The size, depth and distribution of your veins decide it, and many patients do best with a combination: sclerotherapy for the larger feeders, laser for the fine surface work.

Will the veins come back?

Treated vessels are gone, but sclerotherapy does not prevent new ones from forming. Family history, pregnancy and hormonal changes, weight gain, prolonged standing and certain injuries all contribute to spider veins.

Is it covered by insurance?

Spider vein treatment has both private and public payment options depending on your situation. This is worth raising at your consultation rather than assuming either way: what applies depends on the clinical picture, and that is exactly what the ultrasound establishes.

Can I have it if I am pregnant?

No. Treatment is postponed during pregnancy.

What if I have a larger varicose vein as well?

Then the ultrasound comes first. If a larger vein underneath is refluxing, that is usually treated before or alongside the surface vessels, often with EVLT.

Also at the vein clinic

Related treatments

Vein care is rarely one treatment on its own.

Combined radio frequency and light energy heats fine surface veins through the skin, so the vessels the needle cannot reach can still be treated.

A laser closes a diseased vein from the inside, through a single entry point, under local anesthetic, in about one to two hours.

Graduated compression is strongest at the ankle and decreases up the leg, supporting the calf muscle pump and helping blood return toward the heart.

Tired of achy, heavy legs?

Book an assessment and your surgeon will tell you plainly whether this is the right treatment for your legs.

Call 902-678-2121 Book a consultation

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