To learn more about varicose and spider vein treatment with sclerotherapy, contact our practice serving Oakland and the entire Bay Area.
Dermatology Associates of the Bay Area
165 Lynch Creek Way
Petaluma, California 94954
Phone: (707) 762-5531
Fax: (707) 762-5976
500 Alfred Nobel Drive, Suite 245
Hercules, California 94547
Phone: (510) 741-7418
Fax: (510) 741-7456
Visible veins called varicose and spider veins can appear on the legs and other parts of the body. In the past, there have been several methods of treatment for these unsightly veins, but our dermatologists are experts in the gold standard of care for leg vein treatment, sclerotherapy. At our Bay Area practice, serving Oakland, Santa Rosa, and surrounding communities, we feature a special foam sclerotherapy technique that can eliminate moderately sized varicose veins.
Varicose veins often appear on the legs and can be flesh-colored, purple, or blue. These enlarged veins are common on the inside of the legs or the backs of the calves. Smaller spider veins appear closer to the surface of the skin than varicose veins, and often resemble a spider web of red, blue, or purple lines. In addition to being aesthetically displeasing, these veins sometimes become swollen, red, and tender.
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Each sclerotherapy session lasts approximately 30 minutes at our centers serving Oakland, Santa Rosa, and the entire Bay Area. During treatment, a special solution is injected into the targeted vein using an ultra-thin needle. This solution damages the vessel lining without harming surrounding tissues, causing the vein to collapse and disappear during the weeks following treatment.
Following sclerotherapy, patients wear heavy support stocking to keep pressure on the veins in order to maximize results. There is no downtime following sclerotherapy — patients can return to their normal activities immediately after treatment. For optimal results, each vein may require additional treatments of sclerotherapy, which may be repeated at four to six week intervals.
New varicose and spider veins may develop over a period of one to five years following sclerotherapy if the conditions that caused the veins to first appear are not completely corrected. Although the exact cause of varicose and spider veins is unknown, hormonal changes and gravitational forces due to pregnancy, prolonged sitting or standing, and obesity can exacerbate the formation of these veins. Some medical conditions that affect blood flow can also cause spider and varicose veins to appear.
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Our foam sclerotherapy technique is very successful at eliminating moderately sized blue reticular veins. During foam sclerotherapy at Dermatology Associates of the Bay Area, a foam solution, instead of the liquid solution that is used in other sclerotherapy methods, is injected into the targeted vein using a thin needle. The foam solution is more effective than liquid solution because it does not become diluted and is able to stay in contact with the vessel walls for a longer period of time. In addition, due to increased efficacy of the foam technique, much lower concentrations of solution can be used, making this treatment a very safe technique.
Sclerotherapy, even with our foam technique, may not be completely successful at eliminating certain types of large varicose veins. We may refer you to a vascular surgeon for a minor surgical procedure before treatment with sclerotherapy to optimize results. Extremely small veins may require treatment with our vascular laser.
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To learn more about sclerotherapy, contact our Bay Area practice, also serving Oakland and surrounding communities, and schedule a consultation with our dermatologists. They can determine if sclerotherapy or other procedures can help reduce the appearance of your varicose or spider veins.
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