If you are one of many people who have trouble with broken or dilated veins which appear on the legs, we can help you. Our patients come to Thames Skin Clinic for vein treatment, so they feel confident wearing shorter summer clothes. Unfortunately, thread veins do not get better on their own. Veins often get worse and can spread over larger areas. Treatment is possible to remove thread veins. Laser and cautery have a role with certain types and areas of broken veins. For larger areas especially those on the legs we find Sclerotherapy most successful.
At Thames Skin Clinic Dr Hemming has designed her bespoke vein assessment and treatment program to ensure your veins are suitable for this particular treatment. If they are not or we believe a different treatment will suit them better, we can offer this instead. Instead of asking you to decide we use your assessment appointment to offer the most suitable treatment for the areas you are concerns with.
Leg veins are treated using Sclerotherapy and ThermaVein which is suitable for all skin types and ages. There are some medical conditions and medication (aspirin) that can affect treatment including allergies and clotting problems. Please discuss this treatment with us if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
Leg thread vein removal is extremely safe. Both sclerotherapy and the ThermaVein procedure have been CE approved for many years. Thames Skin Clinic therapists are highly trained in the use of ThermaVein treatments and can be consulted to discuss treatment options. Dr Hemming provides Sclerotherapy treatment.
Leg vein treatment can feel a little tender and the treatment area may feel warm afterwards. It is not a painful treatment and we make every effort to make you as comfortable as possible.
There are no serious side effects or risks associated with this treatment. We discuss your medical history and allergies and may stop some of your medication prior to treatment if safe and necessary to do so. Treatment may cause some bruising and swelling. This settles in 10-14 days. There are specific aftercare instructions following thread vein treatment.
There is no downtime following Leg vein treatment. Sometimes the treated vein may bruise or leave a small scab on the skin. These are self healing and will gently fade as the skin repairs. We advise the use of compression hosiery with moderate compression of 20-24mmhg to be worn immediately after treatment. When your compression tights are on you may leave with a spring in your step feeling fabulous and confident knowing your veins are treated and disappearing.
First, a trained professional will examine your health and the veins on your legs. A test should be performed to check the competency of the deep veins, this is called an ultrasound doppler. If the test shows the deep veins flow the wrong way (backwards) you will need further investigations for more extensive vein problems and should see a vascular surgeon or specialist.
After positive pre-treatment tests Sclerotherapy can be performed.
Sclerotherapy involves the injection of a special substance (called a sclerosing agent) which irritates the lining of the vein, causing it to swell, become sticky and fuse together. The fusing of the vein walls closes the vein and removes the unwanted thread vein. This takes time to occur and compression hosiery must be worn for best results. (Don’t worry they look like normal socks/tights).
Your body tries to heal the treated veins, if your healing process is good the veins may need further treatments. New veins may appear as the bloom is diverted, these can also be treated.
Your comfort levels and expectations are important factors which are considered in your consultation.
Treatment is a safe and effective way of removing unwanted thread veins on the legs.
It is essential that compression hosiery is worn after treatment for 72 hours continuously. Then daily for the following 7-21 days. This helps the sclerosant to work and will give you better results.
Hosiery comes in all colours and styles, after treatment it is possible to purchase more stockings which some choose to wear as a preventative treatment every day, They are also suitable for long flights and journeys. Styles are also available for men too.
Compression hosiery
You will need to bring a pair of suitable compression hosiery with you to put on immediately after your treatment. Moderate or class 2 compression hosiery should be purchased with a compression gradient of 18-24mmhg.
Knee high – for ankle and foot vein treatment only.
Thigh high – for vein treatment below the knee.
Tights – for all veins over the knee or combinations of the above.
There is a good selection of thigh high stockings and tights on www.daylong.co.uk
Treatment can be tender, as your veins will be injected at multiple sites. The treatment area feels warm with a burning sensation following sclerotherapy. Bruising and inflammation occurs in all patients, this should settle at 10-14 days. Your legs will look worse immediately after treatment (red and inflamed).
About 10% of patients will get some side effects
Serious complications following sclerotherapy are extremely rare however you do need to be aware of these. We all have high expectations following your treatment and your consent must be informed.
You should not have treatment
You must wear medical compression hosiery which can be supplied through the link on the compression section. Hosiery must be bought before treatment to be put immediately after sclerotherapy. Please contact us if you would like further information.
Aftercare forms part of your sclerotherapy treatment. It is essential you follow the recommended post treatment guide carefully and you will get the best results.
You must wear medical compression hosiery which can be supplied for you. They must be bought before treatment to be put immediately after sclerotherapy. Compression hosiery is worn constantly for 72 hours after treatment, then daily for the next 7-21 days depending on severity of the treated area.
Results are not immediate and take several weeks to develop. Do not expect a full result for 8 weeks.
Injection sessions on the same site should be 4-12 weeks apart. You are welcome to attend for follow-up at 2 and 12 weeks
In general, 90% of patients are either pleased or very pleased with their treatment
Further treatment should be planned 4 weeks after the initial treatment. A total of 3 treatments should be budgeted for.
Sclerotherapy treatment for dilated or broken veins vary by the area of treatment given to achieve the best results. We often get asked about the cost of treatment. At Thames Skin Clinic we pride ourselves on results rather than focus on the price of a treatment, it is more important that we get the correct quality of product rather than offer cut price treatments, products and services (especially when it comes to medical treatments). You will never see Thames Skin Clinic advertising services on social coupon sites such as Groupon as we believe they have a negative impact on our customer safety, results and satisfaction. We also wish to abide by the advertising regulator and work in a safe ethical manor.
Our prices reflect the skill, training and premier product choices we have made as well as the true reflection of the beautiful bespoke clinic surroundings.
To discuss leg vein assessment and treatment please call us today and book an initial consultation with our specialist practitioners. There is a charge for appointments with Dr Hemming.
Additional products are advised including compression tights and stockings.
(www.daylong.co.uk – Moderate class || 20-24mmhg)
