What Is Superficial Vein Treatment? 

Superficial veins can be thread or ‘spider’ veins (telangiectasias) visible as thin, small red veins under the skin or slightly larger and more purple in color. They often form a branching pattern and, in your legs, which may be linked to weakness in the valves and blood flow of your deeper veins (varicose veins and/or venous insufficiency). They are most found on the legs and thighs, but small versions may also be visible on the face. They can be treated in several ways depending on the extent and location of the veins.

The cosmetic treatment aims to address this concern by using coagulation techniques or devices that utilise fine pin-point precision cautery to treat very small thread veins. Usually, this is not suitable for more extensive leg veins and is most useful for small facial thread veins. More than one treatment may be needed.

Types of Treatment

Sclerotherapy involves the precise injection of a sclerosing or irritating solution using a very fine needle directly into the thread vein. The injected liquid damages the inner lining of the vein, causing irritation that leads the vein to scar, shut down, and close. It is frequently used to treat leg thread veins. More than one treatment is often needed.

LASER Vein Treatment uses specific LASERs delivering intense light energy that is absorbed by pigments in your blood to heat and damage targeted blood vessels. This heat causes the small vein to shut down and close. It can be used to treat superficial veins on various areas of the body. Again, more than one treatment may be needed.

*ISAPS does not endorse any named company or product.

Who Is It For?

Suitable for patients with visible thread or spider veins.

Who Should Not Have This Treatment?

Treatment may not be suitable if you have:

• A current blood clot in a superficial or deep vein.
• A local infection or a severe infection affecting the body.
• Limited mobility or are confined to bed.
• Severe peripheral arterial disease, which reduces blood flow to the legs.
• A known allergy to the solution used in sclerotherapy.
• Pregnancy during the first trimester or after 36 weeks, for sclerotherapy.

Extra precautions may be needed if you have leg swelling, problems with the main veins in the groin, a tendency to develop blood clots (particularly if you have had a previous deep vein thrombosis), poorly controlled diabetes, or a history of significant allergic reactions.

Your clinician will assess your medical history and individual risk factors before recommending treatment.

Preparation 

Before treatment, patients may undergo:

• Assessment of veins and circulation.

If you have significant superficial leg veins, you should attend a vascular surgeon or physician to have a full assessment of your deeper leg veins before treatment as they may be the source of your superficial vein problem.