Sclerotherapy in Austin, TX

The principle of sclerotherapy is to irritate the unhealthy veins with a solution that will cause them to close. Once this has occurred, your body’s natural processes will gently dissolve the treated veins, ridding the area of the branch-like veins and their unsightly appearance on your skin. Our double board-certified vascular surgeon Dr. Christopher Brennig is able to perform this procedure with minimal discomfort with the aid of magnification, special lighting and needles smaller than those used for acupuncture. At the Austin Vein Institute, sclerotherapy is considered one of the best methods for treating spider veins.

Dr. Brennig’s goal is to make sure sclerotherapy sessions are always performed as safely and effectively as possible, thus improving outcomes and minimizing risk. When these procedures are passed off and performed by assistants with varying levels of experience, skill, and qualifications can affect quality of care. At the Austin Vein Institute in Austin, TX, all sclerotherapy procedures are performed personally by Dr. Brennig.

Foam sclerotherapy is performed by adding micro bubbles to the liquid sclerotherapy solution. This creates a foam that more effectively fills the targeted vein. With the foam solution, there is significantly greater contact between the vein’s inner wall and the solution. This not only results in a much more successful vein closure rate but it increases the number of veins that can be treated in a single treatment session.

Currently, our foam sclerotherapy solution brand of choice is Asclera (polidocanol). This FDA-approved injection has been shown to have the lowest incidence of pigment deposition after treatment. Plus, patients in the studies reported to have the least discomfort when treated in comparison to other injected solutions. Some vein practices prefer to have large batches of this solution made at local compounding pharmacies in order to save money by buying large single containers and then dividing the dose between patients as they arrive for treatment. We never use a local pharmacy for a compounded version of these medicines. Each patient receives his or her own unique single dose from a FDA-approved pharmacy factory source. This ensures the integrity and sterility of the solution.

Your vein treatment, from start to finish, will never be passed off or delegated to other doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants or medical assistants. If you think you are a candidates for varicose vein treatment, you should seek medical help. Candidates for varicose vein and other vein procedures will have lifelong vascular health consequences if left untreated. Varicose veins are unattractive, but they are also unhealthy. Diseased veins will not get better on their own, nor can they be effectively treated with superficial, cosmetic-based approaches. The underlying problems will likely worsen over time and should be evaluated by a vascular specialist.

After a comprehensive evaluation, we will discuss the treatment options for your spider veins. These typically include use of a sclerotherapy solution, which is injected with a very tiny needle under magnification and specialized lighting. Asclera is our sclerotherapy solution of choice for most patients due to the excellent results and minimal discomfort. We also offer Sotradecol as a sclerotherapy solution for larger varicose veins, along with a variety of surface lasers including the 532nm KTP laser and the 1064nm Nd: YAG laser.

Sclerotherapy is performed by Dr. Brennig in a private room within our Austin facility in five minutes to one hour. Guided by an ultrasound and visible on a monitor, sclerotherapy is one of the gentlest vein therapies to remove damaged veins. Once injected with the sclerosing medication, the damaged veins should be close off. Fortunately, your body will create a new path for blood flow into stronger, healthier veins, reducing vein problems and improving your circulation.

Afterward, you will recover at home and wrap ace bandages or wear compression hosiery for about 14 days. You may resume sedentary activities immediately but should avoid exercise, hot baths, and alcohol for 2 – 3 days. You should anticipate 50% improvement in spider veins following each sclerotherapy session. Expect that 2 –6 sclerotherapy sessions at monthly or bi-monthly intervals may be necessary to achieve your desired results.

Let Dr. Brennig evaluate your skin and vein condition for the right treatment for your varicose and spider veins. Sclerotherapy is one of the leading treatments for vascular treatments available today. Varicose veins are known for being a cosmetic nuisance, however, what many people don’t know is if left untreated, they can result in significant health problems. As a board-certified vascular surgeon and founder of the Austin Vein Institute, Dr. Brennig will share what those risks are and how to best treat varicose veins. Sclerotherapy can help prevent future health problems while restoring the appearance of the skin. Call for an appointment and schedule today.