Unwanted leg veins (spider veins), known medically as telangiectasias or superficial varicosities, are dilated skin capillaries. These may become unsightly with time and may also lead to a dull itching of the legs after prolonged standing.

Sclerotherapy is the technique of instilling a specific solution into these vessels (tiny capillaries or larger varicose veins), using a small needle. The solution irritates and destroys the inner lining of the blood vessel so it ceases to carry blood. The body then replaces this damaged vessel with an imperceptible scar tissue. This does not harm the circulation-it improves it by eliminating the abnormal, unnecessary vessel. Several injections may be needed for a specific area of telangiectasia. The procedure is virtually painless. Fading of the vessels is a slow process which takes up to 6 months.

Slight stinging may occur around the injected vessel and resolve in a day or so.

Swelling over the injection site may rarely occur. It is particularly common when patients have jobs in which they stand for long periods of time or when vessels in the ankles areas are injected. The swelling is never dangerous but occasionally must be treated with elevation and compression resigns.

Three other methods are used also:

Laser surgery - to date this method has only been effective for tiny facial blood vessels. The laser is an expensive device and treatment is thus more costly.

Electrodessication - this method produces a non-specific destruction of both the vessel and overlying skin, thus resulting in a greater incidence of scarring.

Surgical ligation or circumsuture - this operative procedure always results in a scar and is best reserved for large varicose veins.