Sclerotherapy Q&A
58%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
43 Reviews
Sclerotherapybefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Sclerotherapy Cost: $375

Learn about Sclerotherapy

135 people and 116 doctors are talking about Sclerotherapy

Get Free Email Updates

Spider Vein Treatment Side-effects?

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Channing R. Barnett, MD
Question viewed 14,132 times
Tags: legs, spider veins
which side effects from vein treatment are possible?

16 answers to Spider Vein Treatment Side-effects?

+5

Rare but possible spider vein treatment side-effects

Side effects of the procedure are rare. However they may include but are not limited to the following: Itching: usually mild and lasting 2-3 days Hyperpigmentation: brown discoloration which may be permanent in 1% of patients after one year. Matting: an area of very fine veins that appear similar to a bruise Pain: usually minimal discomfort is experienced Ulcers: Rarely an ulcer or open sore may develop at the injection site, which will resolve in 4-6 weeks with local treatment but will... more
Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+5

Sclerotherapy can cause hyperpigmentation

You asked about side effects and most importantly one should remember that any of the sclerosant solutions can cause hyperpigmentation which in rare cases, can last as long as a year or more. To prevent hyperpigmentation, meticulous technique should be used as well as avoiding excessive pressure during the injection process to avoid extravasation of blood. As well, treating venous reflux disease will also reduce the likelihood of hyperpigmentation. Another important problem can be clot... more
Hratch Karamanoukian, MD

Buffalo General Surgeon
+4

Complications of spider vein treatment

The most common complication of spider vein treatment is that the legs look worse before they look better. There can be bruising, scabs, and discoloration. All of these go away in a relatively short period of time. The next complication of spider vein treatment is that the treatment may not work. the usual cause of failure of therapy is that the doctor does not treat the underlying problem. Spider veins are dilated veins in the skin. In the legs they are caused by abnormal pressure... more
Robert Swanson, MD

Bay Area General Surgeon
+3

Vein Treatment Side Effects

The most common side effects of injection treatment of leg veins or sclerotherapy are: Temporary blush called matting Temporary pigmentation called hemosiderin (iron) Only partial response These side effects are best managed and treated by an experienced physician.
Robert A. Weiss, MD

Baltimore Dermatologic Surgeon
+3

Risks of sclerotherapy of spider veins

Sclerotherapy is a safe treatment if done by an experienced surgeon.  The American Board of Phlebology is the governing board for vein specialists.  There are many risks with any procedure.  However, the most common with sclerotherapy are pigmentation, recurrence of the spider vein, and tissue extravasation.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Side Effects of Sclerotherapy (Vein Treatment)

The most common side effects of sclerotherapy (injection treatment of leg veins) are temporary bruising or redness, temporary pigmentation (discoloration), and rarely ulceration (break in the skin). It is best to be treated by a board-certified physician specializing in the treatment of leg veins (typically a dermatologist or vascular surgeon).
Channing R. Barnett, MD

New York Dermatologist

www.barnettdermatology.com

+1

Post sclero side effects

main risk is matting and or hemosiderin staining. also some temporary bruising. risk is around 10-15% it does require multiple treatments to get the spider veins to fade. matting may be a result of spider veins rupture during injecting at too high of a pressure into the vein. key is slow persistent push.
Timothy Mountcastle, MD

Ashburn General Surgeon

www.MountcastlePlasticSurgery.com

+1

Side Effects to Spider Vein Treatment/Sclerotherapy

The most common side effects to sclerotherapy are swelling, brusing, and some ditenderness at the injection site. To reduce and accelerate healing good support stockings are to be worn for at least two weeks after the procedure and Tylenol cab be taken for the tenderness.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Side effects from treating spider veins

Let's separate the two primary treatments methods: lasering, and sclerotherapy. With lasering, some bruising is to be expected, and with any treatment you will look worse before you look better. There are always risks (albeit low) with lasers including burns, blisters, scarring, and coloration changes. Your physician will probably be conservative with the energy settings during the first session. By the way, make sure your physician has a laser that treats leg veins well - not all do, in... more
Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon
+1

Pink or brown color most common side effect of spider vein treatment

The most common side effects of spider vein treatment (either sclerotherapy or laser) are temporary brown pigmentation or a pink blush on the skin. Bruising may last up to a week. Sometimes blood is trapped in a treated vein causing a reddish-brown lump that may need to be gently drained. Risk of serious problems like ulcers or blood clots is very low. Veins improve over weeks, and more than one treatment is almost always necessary.
Margaret Weiss, MD

Baltimore Dermatologist
+1

Possible side effects for Laser Treatment of spider veins

It's interesting that every physician that answered this question spoke about side effects from sclerotherapy. We'd like to address potential side effects from laser treatment of spider veins. It is important to note that one of the most prominent side effects of sclerotherapy - hyperpigmentation or hemosiderin staining- can be addressed with laser treatments after your injections. Possible side effects of laser treatment of spider veins include: Bruising. Cat scratch flaking or scabbing... more
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Spider vein treatment side effects

There are various potential side effects to treating spider veins. The most common is some discomfort at the time of injection, as well as bruising for 1-2 weeks after. Some people can develop hyperpigmentation when blood cell leak out into the skin, but this brown color resolves with time. Recurrence of spider veins is another problem, and so sometimes several treatment sessions are required.
Benjamin Barankin, MD

Toronto Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Spider vein treatment side effects

Straight Sclerotherapy (meaning non-foam) side effects include: Bruising Infection Hyperpigmentation Skin ulceration DVT Redness/itching Straight Sclerotherapy is used to treat spider veins. Larger veins such as reticular veins may require Foam Sclerotherapy. In addition to the above risks, there could be the risk of stroke and headaches -- the risks are relatively rare. Please ask your Plastic Surgeon in person regarding your personal risks for the procedure.
Tammy Wu, MD

Modesto Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sclerotherapy side effects

Sclerotherapy is safe and is a relatively painless procedure. It often requires 2-5 treatments to obtain optimal results. So the main risk is cost and time. Aside from this the skin changes can be itching, hyperpigmentation ( brown discoloration) which usually resolves after one year and is rare, "matting' new tiny vessels that appear similar to a bruise and can be lasered later, pain usually minimal , rare ulcers which will resolve in 4-6 weeks with local treatment but may leave a... more
Shawn Allen, MD

Boulder Dermatologist
+1

Mainly failure, recurrence, and hyperpigmentation

The worst things that could potentially happen from treating spider veins would probably be failure of treatment, recurrence of the spider veins, and especially hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation happens when the tiny thin walled veins burst from the treatment and blood leaks into the tissues causing a sizable bruise. As the body absorbs the bruise, the iron particles in the hemoglobin molecules linger in the tissues for months causing a brown stain. This usually resolves but very slowly. more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

The main side effect of sclerotherapy is residual...

The main side effect of sclerotherapy is residual pigmentation, which is caused by a blood pigment called haemosiderin. Very few people are quite prone to developing this complication, but in this group it can be impossible to avoid. Aggressive massage begun two weeks after the treatment can sometimes help, and one of the pigment removing lasers can be used if necessary.
David Gault, MD

London Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question