Sclerotherapy

  1. What is Sclerotherapy?

  2. What are abnormal veins?

  3. Why do varicose veins and spider veins occur?

  4. What happens to the blood, which was flowing in these veins?

1. What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical procedure that involves injecting a medication with a tiny needle into abnormal veins. The medication produces a chemical inflammation within the lining of the vein wall. The vein collapses and the walls stick together to form a fibrotic cord. The body absorbs this fibrosed vein over a period of a few weeks to several months.

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2. What are abnormal veins?

Varicose veins and spider veins are considered abnormal. Varicose veins are the large, bulging, ropey veins seen on the legs. They are often painful. Spider veins are the smaller red or blue thread like veins appearing in clusters or alone. They tend to appear on the face and legs, but can be found anywhere on the body.

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3. Why do varicose veins and spider veins occur?

Veins most often dilate and become varicose as a result of increased downward pressure on the vein from a point above it. The pressure can be temporary (i.e. pregnancy, excessive straining) or constant (force of gravity upon one's body or one's own body weight). As the vein wall becomes less elastic, it stretches and fills with more blood, thus preventing the two valve flaps inside the vein from meeting. The valves are then no longer effective at preventing blood from flowing backwards, thereby creating a vicious cycle of increased pressure on the next valve below it, and so on.

Contributing factors to developing varicose and spider veins are heredity; trauma (such falls or blows to the body), long periods of sitting or standing; and excess weight. More women than men develop varicose veins, perhaps as a result of hormonal influence or pregnancy.

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4. What happens to the blood, which was flowing in these veins?

These veins are dysfunctional because they do not carry blood properly, and allow blood to pool. They are a burden on the circulatory system and are thought to be the cause of many symptoms. Once the veins are closed, the body will redirect the blood flow into the deep veins, which are stronger, and are supported by muscle.

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