Sclerotherapy

To help remove unsightly leg veins

If you have often avoided wearing shorter shirts or shorts because of the appearance of unsightly veins, or avoided going swimming or sunbathing as you were self conscious about their appearance then sclerotherapy might be the treatment for you.

Unfortunately some individuals are more prone to thread and spider veins than others and especially those who have had parents who have suffered with the, or those that have noticed them occurring at stages of their life when their hormones are not settled such as pregnancy and the menopause.

Whilst there are many treatments on the market available for spider and thread veins in the legs, sclerotherapy is one of the most effective as it treated directly, rather than through the skin. Sclerotherapy works by irritating the vein, making it inflamed which stops the blood flow, killing off the vein as it has lost its blood supply and once they have gone, they are gone for good!

Watch our introduction to sclerotherapy by clicking here

Case Study

A is a young woman who has been really struggling with the veins that were all over her legs but especially the ones that accumulated at the back of her left knee which made it look like a big bruise at a short distance. They really affected her confidence and stopped her from both wearing what she wanted, and doing things she wanted to do as she was so conscious about it being on show.

When we had discussed what had previously been tried, we decided to go ahead with sclerotherapy and A came back on four occasions with 4-6 weeks in between to maximise the effect of her treatment.

A few weeks after the final treatment, we carried out a review and compared the first pictures we took to the ones taken at the review and A was overwhelmed at the difference it made. Whilst it hadn’t gone completely, it made a huge difference to its appearance which no longer looked like a bruise

sclerotherapy, a form of leg vein removal at Sero Aesthetics

Why Come To Us For Treatment?

Our patients are always at the centre of what we do and we would never carry out a treatment that wouldn’t be in their best interests. We always work with our patients and not on them which can be demonstrated in our 5 star rating on Trust Pilot.

We never over promise the result of a treatment and always have the treatment ourselves to enable us to explain the healing process first hand. As a highly recommended clinic for treating veins, you can be certain that we maximise the efficacy of our treatments to ensure that you get the best outcome for your procedure.

Click here to book your treatment

In a Nutshell

What does it treat?
Spider and thread veins in the legs

How long does it take?
Approximately 15 minutes
Will I get numbed?
No as it affects the efficacy of the treatment
How long will it take to recover? 1-6 weeks for full recovery

When can I go back to work?
Straight away
How long before I see a result?
Within a few weeks
How risky is it?
Mild

Frequently Asked Questions

What Happens On The Day?

Prior to your treatment we will send you out a medical form to find out about your medical history which will enable us to have the solution prescribed to you.

On the day, we will spend time with you discussing the treatment, its risks, along with any alternative options which can take approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Once we have discussed the treatment with you in full and the appropriate forms have been signed, we will clean the area and we will discuss with you where your priority veins are. We will insert the needle at a particular angle that will allow us to maximise the chances of getting the vein followed by injecting a little of the solution to check for a reaction before injecting a large bolus of the solution enabling us to fully irritate the veins with less of a risk of a failed injection.

Can You Treat Spider Veins On My Face?

Unfortunately, we do not carry out sclerotherapy treatments on the face and only treat those on the legs. If they are very superficial, diathermy may be an option along with laser therapy.

How Much Will You Inject?

This will largely depend on your budget and how much you would like injected as we price our treatment per ml

Why Is The First 1ML More Expensive ?

The first 1ml is more expensive as this covers the prescription fee that we need to pay to our prescriber for having your medication prescribed to you.

How Will It Take To See A Difference?

The veins are likely to look quite angry very soon after the treatment and may look like they have come back immediately. It is important to wait 4-6 weeks before confirming the outcome of a treatment as it can take time for the inflammation to settle.

How Will It Take To See A Difference?

What Can Go Wrong?

The biggest risk for those being treated via sclerotherapy is the risk of a blood clot. For this reason, we screen our patients thoroughly prior deciding to treat as certain individuals such as those on hormone replacement may not be suitable for sclerotherapy as it puts them as a higher risk of blood clots.

What Are The Alternatives To Sclerotheraphy?

There are two main treatment options for thread and spider veins on the legs, one is sclerotherapy and the other is laser which breaks down the vein using pulses of light to heat the veins up, causing them to collapse.

Can You Treat Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins and can appear to bulge or twist (Click here to find out more- link to NHS website). Unfortunately we cannot treat these and if you are finding them uncomfortable, it would be best to speak to your GP to discuss any potential treatment options that may be available to you.

Can I Have The Treatment If I Am Breastfeeding or Pregnant?

Unfortunately you cannot have sclerotherapy if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and nee to wait 3 months after either before seeking this treatment to allow your body and hormones to fully settle.

What Is The Best Treatment For Leg Veins?

Sclerotherapy is the best treatment of thread and spider veins on the legs as a solution is injected directly into the vein, reducing the change of it missing the area.

Will It Hurt?

Unfortunately we cannot numb the area being treated as it can increase the chance of the veins shrinking making it more difficult to penetrate. We do however use the smallest of needles that we can resulting in a much more comfortable experience, in fact, we can say from personal experience that you can barely feel it!

How Long Does It Take To Carry Out The Treatment?

The treatment itself only takes approximately 10-15 minutes but this will depend on how many veins are being treated. The appointment itself will take about an hour as we feel it is important to have a thorough discussion prior to treatment

How Much Will 1Ml Go?

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

How many treatments you will need will depend on how your body responds to the treatment and how densely packed the veins are. Some patents only need one treatments, whilst others may need four or five to fully treat the area.

Do Veins Go Straight Away?

In most cases, they will not go straight away and will take several weeks before you can see a difference. This is likely to be the same with any spider or thread vein treatment

Do Veins Come Back?

If the veins have responded well to the treatment, they will not come back because their lack of blood supply has meant they can no longer exist. Unfortunately however, the body is very clever and if you are prone to these types of veins, you might find them popping up in a similar area (although this can take a while to happen)

What Is The Downtime Like?

Initially it may feel a little stingy followed by a little itchy and It isn’t uncommon for the treatment area to appear similar to urticaria, which is normal and can last a few hours although you may experience some bruising that can take a few weeks to subside.

Who Can Have Sclerotheraphy?

Those that are pregnant or breastfeeding or who have restricted mobility cannot be treated using sclerotherapy but we will screen all patients prior to agreeing to treat.

Is There Anything I Can't Do After I Have Been Treated?

e would advise anyone being treated via sclerotherapy to ensure they keep moving around and don’t spend excessive time sitting down to reduce the change of a blood clot occurring.

We would suggest avoiding doing anything that can make your body temperature increase such as the gym for a couple of days, and stay away from potential infection zones such as swimming pools and saunas for the same period of time.

It is also really important to ensure that you use a broad spectrum SPF over the treated area for several weeks if you are planning on exposing the area to the sun to reduce the change of any skin pigmentation occurring.