Asclera before & after photos
100%
2 reviews
Worth It Rating Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings
Asclera Cost $400 average cost

Asclera (Polidocanol) for Varicose Veins

Does Asclera, Polidocanol work on varicose veins?

Sort 8 expert answers by:
+2

Polidocanol for Sclerotherapy

Polidocanol is not FDA approved. It has advantages because it is painless on injection, has low likelihood of skin necrosis and is effective. It is commonly used for feeder veins, reticular veins and some individuals use it for varicose veins. Its concentration when used is 0.5% to 1 %.
Hratch Karamanoukian, MD
Buffalo General Surgeon
+1

Polidocanol is effective against larger veins

Yes!  Polidocanol can be used to successfully treat larger caliber veins including varicose veins.  Although these veins can be visualized easily and treated with sclerotherapy, ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy can be more effective in treating affected vessels, by identifying potential feeder vessels called accessory or perforating vessels.  If you have varicose veins, it would be wise to first obtain an ultrasound study of the legs--quick, easy, painless, and... more
Melanie D. Palm, MD
San Diego Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Spider Vein therapy

It works best on spider veins and reticular veins. i have never used it on varicose veins and am happy with performing microphlebectomy are larger varicose veins if ablation of tributaries dont work to shut the varicose vein down. i have seen a number of complications from other physicians injecting a wide range of agents into larger veins including matting and skin staining with dark brown spots.
Timothy Mountcastle, MD
Ashburn General Surgeon
+1

Polidocanol works!

Yes, Polidocanol (Asclera) does work and is now FDA approved in the US (March 2010).  We've been using it in our office for awhile now with excellent results.  Patients are who've previously were injected in Sotradecol find Asclera to be just as tolerable and effective.
Amir Moradi, MD
San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Options for sclerotherapy

There are many options for sclerotherapy, including polidocanol and STS.  There is no universal medicine that is applicable for every situation.  I would advise you to go to a board certified phlebologist.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Polidocanol

Polidocanol (also known as Aethoxysklerol) is an effective chemical detergant for treatment of a wide range of leg veins. It's concentration is often diluted for differing size veins, and has the advantage of less discomfort and lower incidence of skin ulceration. One big disadvantage is it is not FDA approved for use in the U.S. It also tends to not flow as well into the veins, so more injections may be needed to treat large areas and multiple veins. I have also found it to cause more... more
Jeffrey C. Poole, MD
Metairie Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Effectiveness of sclerotherapy depends on varicose veins cause

Sclerotherapy with Polidocanol can be very safe and effective as long as the cause of the varicose veins is close to the veins that are being injected. Varicose veins are dilated veins and are the result of abnormally high pressure in the veins. This, in turn, is due to the combination of weak vein walls and broken vein valves. Typically, surface spider veins are driven by reticular veins just under the skin. These reticular veins may be driven by subcutaneous veins, which may themselves... more
Robert Swanson, MD
Bay Area General Surgeon
Use of this website and the posting of any reviews or other content on this website constitutes acceptance of the RealSelf® Terms of Service. The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. © 2011 RealSelf, Inc. All rights reserved.