How Effective Are Injectable Vein Treatments in 2022?
Vein treatments have come a long way in the past few decades, and new injection techniques are remarkably effective. Vein doctors now use ultrasound technology to directly position injectable treatments on the offending vein. Most varicose veins and spider veins no longer require surgical extraction. Instead, vein specialists inject a sclerosant or adhesive directly into the vein to prompt its closure, so that it can’t return.
They can also inject anesthetics around the vein and close it off with thermal energy. However, not every vein clinic possesses these technologies. And not all vein specialists are vein doctors who are trained to administer these procedures. Book a board certified vein doctor at an accredited vein clinic in New York, to ensure your injectable vein treatment is permanent.
Do Varicose Veins and Spider Veins Require Several Injections?
When treated correctly, most varicose veins and spider veins don’t require several injections. However, if you have multiple damaged blood vessels, you may require more than one appointment to repair them all. When a vein is treated precisely, it cannot return. It is closed off and reabsorbed by the body. However, if treatment is not positioned correctly, or does not travel the length of the damaged vein, it’s possible for the vein treatment to fail and warrant a repeat injection.
In addition, if you have an underlying vein disease, like Chronic Venous Insufficiency, new varicose veins and spider veins can develop in the same area. That’s why it’s important to choose qualified vein doctors who use ultrasound imaging to make sure the vein and any vein diseases are properly treated. New technology makes vein treatment in 2022 far more effective than in prior decades.
Are Sclerotherapy Treatments the Best Injections?
For many patients, sclerotherapy treatments are the best injections. They’re routinely advised for spider veins and small to medium varicose veins. However, some patients are better suited to injections of vein adhesives, like cyanoacrylate glue. These include patients who are allergic to sclerosants or who have connecting veins that aren’t amenable to sclerotherapy.
Patients with larger varicose veins might fare better with an injection of tumescent anesthesia around the vein, followed by an application of radiofrequency or laser energy to the vein’s walls. Sclerotherapy treatments are among the top methods for varicose veins and spider veins, but a vein doctor will determine whether they’re right for you.
Does the Location of Your Vein Impact Injection Efficacy?
The location of your vein plays a part in determining the right treatment. For instance, vein damage in the face is often more superficial than vein damage in the legs and requires a different approach. But there are other key factors, like your medical history, symptoms, vein severity, and preferences, that play an essential role. The size and tortuosity of the vein, as well as any connecting veins and blood clots are important to assess.
Each patient has unique venous pathways, so it’s imperative for the vein doctor to determine where the injectable treatment could travel, before selecting treatment. For instance, foam sclerosants fill a larger vein more quickly than liquid sclerosants, and they travel and activate more quickly in the vein. But they also deactivate faster, which means they won’t impact blood vessels past a certain point. These are crucial considerations for vein treatment, so always choose a qualified vein doctor over a cosmetic vein clinic.
Does a Larger Vein Require Something Besides an Injection?
A larger vein might respond well to a liquid or foam sclerosant, but it might also require a combination of sclerosants and mechanical ablation, a technique called mechanochemical ablation. Another tactic that works well for larger veins is a thermal energy treatment like radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser therapy. All of these methods are minimally invasive and performed without surgery or general anesthesia. If you choose a minimally invasive vein specialist, like our award-winning vein doctors in New York, they will recommend the best method for your larger veins.
Is a Minimally Invasive Treatment as Permanent as Surgery?
As mentioned, choosing the right vein doctor and the right minimally invasive treatment are essential to efficacy. But if you choose correctly, non-surgical vein treatment is not only as permanent as surgery, but also preferable over surgery. Most patients do not need their veins removed. It is safer, gentler, easier, and more affordable to treat veins within the body, rather than cutting them out.
Veins that are cut away often grow back without valves, which causes venous reflux. Venous reflux (when valve failure lets blood flow backward in the vein) is the impetus for most varicose veins and spider veins. For a small number of patients, surgery is required. For the vast majority, minimally invasive treatments with trained vein specialists are the preferred, long-term solution.
How Do You Prepare for Treatment of Blood Vessels?
If your blood vessels are being treated with injections, there’s no preparation involved. You won’t need general anesthesia, so you don’t have to limit your food intake. You don’t need anyone to drive you to the appointment unless you simply prefer it. Depending on the method, some patients need to avoid certain medications like blood thinners right before treatment, but your vein doctor will inform you if this applies to you.
Do You Wear Compression Stockings Over the Injection Site?
Some patients need to wear compression stockings over their injection site briefly following treatment. This is particularly true if you have a history of blood clots or vein disease. But you can resume your usual routine, including work, moderate exercise, and showering, immediately after treatment. Patients can walk around right after the procedure and even drive themselves home.
Which NY Vein Doctor Treats Varicose Veins and Spider Veins?
The answer to, “How long do vein injections last,” depends largely on where you seek treatment. A qualified vein doctor treats varicose veins and spider veins with better technology, expertise, and precision, than a cosmetic vein specialist. Dermatologists and estheticians can’t treat large varicose veins, vein diseases, or deep veins, so vein damage will often recur with these practitioners. Choose our Harvard-trained vein doctors in NY who treat the underlying cause, as well as the visible vein, so the results last indefinitely.