What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure done by Dr. Manrique to treat uncomplicated spider veins and uncomplicated reticular veins. The treatment involves the injection of a solution into the affected veins.
What causes spider and reticular veins?
- Having a family member with prominent veins may increase the risk of you developing them. Approximately half of the people who get varicose veins have a family history of them.
- The normal wear and tear of aging may cause valves in the veins to weaken and not work as well.
- Women are two to three times more likely to develop varicose veins than men. Up to half of American women have varicose veins. Changes in hormones due to puberty, pregnancy, menopause, or taking birth control pills may increase a woman’s risk of developing varicose veins.
- During pregnancy, the growth of the fetus increases the pressure on the veins in the legs. Varicose veins that occur during pregnancy usually improve within 3 to 12 months following delivery.
- Overweight and obesity. Having extra weight on the body can put additional pressure on the veins.
- Prolonged standing or sitting. This is particularly true with legs bent or crossed. When standing or sitting with legs bent or crossed, the veins have to work harder to pump the blood up to the heart.
Other possible causes for varicose veins are race, posture, occupation, hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, primary vein’s valvular incompetence, and incompetent perforating veins.
What medication is injected by Dr. Manrique?
Dr. Manrique treats your uncomplicated spider and varicose veins with Asclera® (polidocanol) Injection. Aesclera it is a prescription medicine that is used in a procedure called sclerotherapy to remove unwanted veins on your legs.
What veins can be treated with Aesclera?
- Uncomplicated spider veins (very small varicose veins ≤ 1 mm in diameter)
- Uncomplicated small varicose veins (1 to 3 mm in diameter) known as reticular veins.
What are the adverse reactions to polidocanol?
Injection site hematoma, injection site irritation, injection site discoloration, injection site pain, injection site itching, injection site warmth, neovascularization, injection site clotting.
Is there any downtime or special after treatment care?
After the injection session is completed, Dr. Manrique applies compression with a stocking and provides monitoring during this period to treat any possible allergic reactions.
Dr. Manrique recommends to use compression for 2 to 3 days after treatment of spider veins and for 5 to 7 days for reticular veins. For extensive varicosities, longer compression treatment with compression bandages or a gradient compression stocking of a higher compression class is recommended. Post-treatment compression is necessary to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
