Experts agree that Microsclerotherapy is the best treatment for thread veins and spider veins on the legs. In this video, Catharine McGuinness, a vascular specialist at the VeinCare Centre demonstrates the treatment.
Microsclerotherapy is a medical treatment that involves injecting a prescription medicine called a sclerosant directly into the spider veins. Don’t worry, it’s not painful: an ultra-fine needle is used, only slightly bigger than a human hair, which you can barely feel. The technique requires good illumination and magnification.
The sclerosant works by removing the lining of the vein almost instantly (this is also not painful) and thereafter the vein responds with a healing process that results in the veins closing, shrinking and fading. The healing process may take several weeks to complete and initially, the thread veins may look worse, at least, in the early stages of the healing process. Often, 2 or 3 treatment sessions are required with an interval of 6 to 12 weeks.
Ultimately, the thread veins become less visible and in some cases, they may actually disappear completely. After 3 treatment sessions, 90 to 95% of treated patients are “pleased” or “very pleased”. Published medical research confirms that microsclerotherapy is superior to other treatments that have been tried on the legs such as laser or intense pulse light. At the VeinCare Centre, satisfaction levels after microsclerotherapy are high and serious complications are very rare.
Nevertheless, this treatment is very skilled, it requires a prescription medication and in our opinion Microsclerotherapy should only be performed by suitably trained nurses or doctors in a medical environment. In the unlikely event that someone suffers a serious allergic reaction for example, we believe that suitably trained medical staff and equipment should be available. In a significant number of cases, people with spider veins have superficial venous reflux or associated varicose veins. These people are advised to have a preliminary assessment by duplex ultrasound to confirm the correct diagnosis.
If you would like more information about spider veins, contact us to request our information pack.