Spidery Leg Veins

Microsclerotherapy [micro-sclero-therapy] is not a newly developed treatment, but has been in use for many, many years by specialist doctors and surgeons to improve the appearance smaller surface veins in the legs and face*.

*Only specialist injectors are allowed to inject into the face for small veins and there may be better options for treatment of spidery face veins, such as laser and electrolysis.

When injected into small spidery leg veins the final results are often exceptionally good, and patients are often extremely pleased.  Microsclerotherapy remains the most reliably successful of all the treatments on the market for small leg veins. Microsclerotherapy is the gold standard treatment to deal with unsightly leg veins just under the skin.

What does treatment involve?

The treatment itself involves injecting a prescription medication called a sclerosant directly into the troublesome veins using a very fine needle. The sclerosant causes the fragile inner lining of the vein to break down. This triggers a healing response from your own body, which over several weeks causes the vein to close completely and fade away.

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How often is treatment required?

Treatment may need to be repeated at 4 – 12 week intervals and most patients see a significant improvement in the appearance of their veins somewhere between one and four treatments.

Recovery Period

In terms of aftercare the recommended treatment is the use of compression hosiery continuously for at least 72 hours after the procedure. Immediately after treatment you will be asked to take a 10-minute walk, and to avoid high impact sports for two weeks. The body takes time to heal and recovery times differ between individuals.  You will be asked to come back for a two week review where any small amounts of liquid blood that may be trapped in the tiny veins can be gently pricked and removed (this prevents any stains under the skin from the natural breakdown of residual blood by the body.  Not everyone needs this two week review, however)

How Long Does Treatment Last?

As with other treatments the results are not immediate.  For a short period the veins generally look worse before they look better.  This is unavoidable, and is the result of the body’s decision to not repair the vein but rather to absorb it.  The death of the small vein causes a natural inflammatory reaction which is necessary for the healing process, but does make the area look a bit red for a time – this will fade away.

The veins that are treated will not grow back once they are absorbed. In time, however, similar small veins may appear in different parts of the legs.  This is not caused by the treatment but rather the natural process that caused the veins to appear initially.

What happens if I don’t treat thread veins?

Approximately 50% of the population will develop small thread veins in their legs during their life to a lesser or greater degree. Although unsightly they are unlikely to cause any significant long-term medical problems if you decided not to treat them.  The most common physical complaint from having small spidery leg veins is that they are itchy.  The most common reason for seeking treatment is that patients don’t like how they look and often say they have begun to not wear revealing dresses or swimsuits in summer.  They are a very, very common problem, so you are not alone!

For further information we recommend booking a consultation where our qualified team can assess you and offer the best treatments available for your condition(s).

+ FAQs

This is a very safe treatment but as with any medical treatment there are a few people that may not be suitable for microsclerotherapy

 For example:

  • If you are pregnant or a breast-feeding mother
  • If you have recurrent cellulitis (inflammation and redness of the skin on the legs)
  • If you are planning to go on a long haul flight in the next 14 days.
  • Those with generalized systemic disease such as cardiac, renal, hepatic, pulmonary and collagen diseases or cancer
  • Those with a past history of deep vein thrombosis
  • If you are taking blood thinning medication (anticoagulants) such as Warfarin, or Clopidogrel etc.