When you have spider veins, sclerotherapy is often the go-to treatment. A minimally invasive procedure, sclerotherapy involves injecting the appropriate veins with a special chemical solution. The solution destroys the veins, so that they collapse and fade away. While the treatment itself is quick and relatively painless, a bit of prep is required to help you get ready for it.
Like most medical treatments, sclerotherapy isn’t always the right choice for every patient. Your vein doctor will want to know about any past history of vein problems or about any other medical conditions you have dealt with. If you’re pregnant, your doctor will need to know. Usually, it’s recommended that pregnant women skip sclerotherapy, or at least wait until several months after they have given birth to have it. If you’ve been treated for varicose or spider veins in the past, tell your doctor that too.
Some medications, such as aspirin and blood thinners, and some supplements, such as vitamin E, thin the blood and increase the risk for bleeding during treatment. Usually, patients are advised to taper off these medicines in the weeks before surgery. If you are taking blood thinners regularly, your surgeon will provide you with specific advice about discontinuing them or adjusting your dosage before your sclerotherapy treatment.
Wearing compression stockings after your treatment will help speed the recovery process and improve your results. So that you aren’t running to the drugstore right after your treatment, it’s a good idea to stock up on the stockings you need beforehand. Talk to your doctor about the strength and style that is best to buy. If the area being treated is primarily on your calf, knee-highs can work. If you’re treating an area above the knee, thigh-high or full leg stockings might be a better option.
It might seem silly to put much thought into what you’ll wear for treatment, but what you wear matters in terms of your comfort level. A pair of loose fitting shorts is often ideal. The shorts leave your legs exposed so that the surgeon can do his work. If you don’t like wearing shorts in public, bring a pair to change into and a pair of loose fitting long pants to wear to and from the vein center.
Avoid irritating the skin of your legs starting about 24 hours before your treatment. That means it’s a good idea to hold off on shaving the night before and to skip applying lotion to your legs. When you schedule a spider vein treatment at Vascular and Interventional Associates, our team of physicians will walk you through the procedure and provide tips on how to best prepare. To book your consultation today, call 859-286-7333.
