Unwanted blood vessels – particularly dilated leg veins (sometimes called spider veins) but also some stubborn ‘broken’ facial veins- can be treated by the gentle injection of a solution that will cause them to disappear or at least become much smaller. This procedure is known as sclerotherapy, or, when tiny vessels are targeted, microsclerotherapy.

How does the treatment work?

A solution, called a sclerosing solution, is injected with a very fine needle directly into the unwanted dlilated blood vessel. The solution irritates the lining of the vessel, causing the vessel walls to stick together and the blood to clot. Over a period of weeks, the vessel turns into scar tissue that fades from view, eventually becoming barely or not at all visible.

Occasionally larger varicose veins underly spider veins. These vessels may be treated with the spider veins, either by sclerotherapy followed by compression or by a surgical or laser procedure carried out by a vascular surgeon. Alternatively the spider veins may be treated by sclerotherapy as usual without worrying about the varicose veins unless they become troublesome.