Can Sclerotherapy Treat Facial Veins?

Depending on the size of the vessel and the color, there are at least 3 different lasers that I would consider using. The problem with sclerotherapy around the eye is that the the product that is being injected can cause vision loss or blindness, and this has been reported in the medical literature.
Care must be taken when using lasers around the eyes as well, but this is why it is extremely important that you go to a dermatology or plastic surgery office that specializes in these procedures. The physician should be performing the treatment and not deligating the procedure to someone else in his office (i.e. nurse, PA, technician).
Research the physician for Board certification and specialty and best of luck to you.

Ms Eva, Thanks for your question. I too, have found great success with the long pulse Nd:YAG laser to treat various facial veins.  It works particularly well with the prominent ones around the eyes in people that have very thins skin and prominent blue veins. Try to find a practice that has experience in this area for your best results.  Good Luck.

To treat a larger, "non-spider vein" around the eye, usually sclerotherapy is the best method. Sometimes a laser can work just as well if not better, depending on how close to the eye the vein is located. But a complimentary consultation is recommended to find out your best option. As far as general broken capillaries on the face, laser definitely does the trick. Either Cutera's Laser Genesis and/or Limelight treatments.

These veins, if large, are often treated by surgical tying or laser treatments. There is a potential risk if these veins are injected that the medicine could travel backwards into vital structures of the head. These veins tend to be too big for external laser treatment.

Hello,
While it may sound like it would be a good solution, treatment for veins under the eye should not be done by injection, as the risk of destructive chemicals entering the eye and causing blindness or even death is a remote, but very serious risk. Long pulse Nd:YAG lasers have been used with some success, but ONLY in the hands of the most experienced laser practitioners. In my experience using these devices (since 2002), extreme caution needs to be exercised in choosing the right veins in the right patient situations. This is always done on a patient by patient basis. My recommendation is to seek a highly experienced practitioner who is skilled in using lasers to treat the delicate eye area. Hope this information helped!Dr. S

Sclerotherapy is the gold standard for treating spider and varicose veins on the legs, but it is not recommended for use on the face. A much better solution to get rid of your undereye vein is a specialized laser such as the CoolTouch Varia which can safely and effectively remove the vein without the risk of ulceration or blindness which is posed by sclerotherapy to the face. Lasers of course carry their own risks, but when performed by an experienced, board-certified dermatologist, these risks are significantly minimized and the end results tend to be very good. I recommend visiting a board-certified dermatologist for a consultation to determine which laser is best for your particular case.

Perioribital reticular veins are best treated with a Nd:Yag laser. repeat treatments are necessary. Reocurrances may occur.

There has been controversy between different specialties regarding the treatment of facial veins with sclerotherapy.  Sclerotherapy is very safe and works very well on facial veins.  With the newer sclerotherapy agents and smaller available sclerotherapy needles, injecting facial veins can be done quite easily with excellent results.  The most important factor in facial sclerotherapy is the experience and training of the physician doing the injections.  I have been doing facial vein sclerotherapy for years and I and the patients have been very pleased with the results.  If a vein is larger enough to accommodate the needle then it can usually  be treated with sclerotherapy.  The smallest of veins are treated with laser or micro needle radio frequency.

The answer to your question is Yes, it is a possibility, but NO I would not recommend it.  Injection of veins on the face are associated with a much higher risk of complications due to the sensitive location.  The blood vessels around the eye are particularly high risk for sclerotherapy treatment.  I would stay away from sclerotherapy in this region.  My recommendation for smaller spider vein treatments around the eyes or face is either thermocoagulation with a laser or thermolysis device, such as the Veinwave or VeinGogh device, which has received FDA approval for these types of veins.  Special eye protection is used during these treatment to avoid any damage to the eye or retina.  If the vein is indeed larger than spider veins (as you describe) then your best option is probably a minor plastic surgical procedure known as microphlebecomty, in which the vein is surgically removed through a micro-incision in the skin overlying the vein.

 

I hope this information was useful.

Lasers are a better option for facial veins.  In my office we use the Vbeam laser which is very effective at treating facial veins.