Leg vein removal (sclerotherapy) at the Oregon practice of Dr. Peter Goodkin may be right for you. Contact us today.
Peter Goodkin M.D.
9775 SE Sunnyside Road #500
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
P / 503-654-7546
F / 503-786-3542
A member of the ACMMSCO©™
Sclerotherapy (Cosmetic Leg Vein Removal) in Our Oregon Office
Road maps are great when you need them. They’re not so great when you have I-84 and its tributaries jumping out at you on your legs. Sclerotherapy is the popular technique we use for reducing the unsightly "road map" appearance of enlarged red, purple, and blue spidery blood vessels on the legs. We don’t use this technique for varicose veins, the big, bulging kind. Those larger, often symptomatic vessels require Duplex Doppler Ultrasound analysis and subsequent surgical treatment. If you'd like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Peter Goodkin regarding sclerotherapy in our northwest Oregon office, contact us today to arrange it.
Commonly asked questions about this popular procedure are as follows:
- Define sclerotherapy
- What does it feel like?
- How long does the procedure take?
- How many sessions are needed?
- What about results?
- How safe is sclerotherapy?
- How soon may I return to normal activities?
- Wouldn’t a laser be better?
Define sclerotherapy
Hundreds of thousands of people have been treated since the technique was first used in the early part of the Twentieth century. Using a very small needle, tiny amounts of an irritating solution are carefully injected into the roadmap veins. The blood is momentarily displaced, just for a few seconds, long enough for the solution to damage the wall of the blood vessel. The vessel is then slowly absorbed in the following weeks.
What does it feel like?
The needle is quite small and just a pricking sensation is felt for each group of vessels treated. Since we use brand new, very sharp, very small needles, the sensation is minimal. Most of the solutions, in use today, no longer cause any burning or stinging.
How long does the procedure take?
The average sclerotherapy session takes about 15-25 minutes, depending on the number of areas treated.
How many sessions are needed?
The average patient takes four leg vein removal treatments at monthly intervals. Some people might see enough improvement with two sessions. Others might require six, depending on the extent of the problem. All of the leg vein removal sessions at our Oregon office are handled on an individual basis; your care is personalized according to your schedule and desires.
What about results?
Most people see significant improvement. Some people are resistant. If there are underlying varicose veins, they should be addressed first, for they can impede results from sclerotherapy. Improvement often last for years. New vessels may gradually appear over time. A touch-up sclerotherapy session at our Clackamas, Oregon office can be performed when necessary.
How safe is sclerotherapy?
You are red right after the procedure and you may look like you forgot your insect repellant for a day or two. Bruising is a possibility. Pain is not normally an issue. It is not unusual for the red/purple road map to be temporarily replaced by a brown road map. This is caused by inflammation as the vessel, containing clotted blood, is being reabsorbed. Support hose are recommended for two weeks after each session. This helps prevent blood from being trapped in the treated vessels as they close down, improving success and decreasing the temporary brown stains. A “blush” reaction is sometimes seen, especially if you are on estrogen supplements. Infection, allergic reaction, an open sore, and blood clots are possible but very rare. I haven’t seen an open sore from sclerotherapy in twenty years or more.
How soon may I return to normal activities?
You feel fine immediately after the sclerotherapy treatment. No pain medicine is necessary. Support hose are recommended for two weeks. Walking is beneficial right after sclerotherapy. Vigorous exercise is fine after 24 hours.
Wouldn’t a laser be better?
Sclerotherapy is the gold standard by which all lasers compare results. Each laser specializes often in just one color, diameter or depth of blood vessel. Multiple lasers would therefore be required to get the best results. We’re not there yet. We have two vascular lasers at the office. Dr. Goodkin reserves the Vbeam® Laser for very small red vessels close to the skin's surface or red blush areas. The GentleLASE® can be used to touch-up some larger bluer vessels. Most people don’t require the laser touch-up.
To learn more about leg vein removal (sclerotherapy), contact our Oregon dermatology office — it's helped hundreds of people become more comfortable with the appearance of their legs.