Sclerotherapy

Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias, are thin red, purple or blue veins that lie just under the skin. Spider veins may result from dysfunctional vein valves. Veins carry blood back to the heart. In order to prevent blood from flowing backward, veins contain one-way valves that close once blood passes through. If the valve becomes damaged, the blood may flow backward and cause blood to pool inside the vein. Over time, this can lead to permanent bulging veins. Risk factors for spider veins include genetics, pregnancy, older age, being female, being overweight, hormones (eg. birth control pill), sitting or standing for prolonged periods and previous vein damage.

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical procedure to improve the appearance of spider veins and varicose veins. These veins are injected with a very fine needle with a sclerosing solution. The solution irritates the lining of the vein wall – this causes blood clotting within the vein and the vessel walls to stick together. Over a period of a few weeks, the vein is degraded by the body and disappears. Sclerotherapy has been used for decades and is still the gold standard for spider vein treatment.

In your consultation, Dr. Gerstein will assess if you are a candidate for sclerotherapy.

All of our medical cosmetic treatments are performed by Dr. Francine Gerstein