A sclerosing agent (sodium tetradecylsulphate) is injected directly into the thread vein using a very fine needle. It irritates the lining of the vein causing it to block off and disappear.

Microsclerotherapy treats superficial thread veins in the legs. If you are bothered by unsightly veins please get in touch for a free consultation so that Dr Vella can advise on their management.

You may well have some thread veins if you have varicose veins. If your varicose veins are large, these can be treated by a vascular surgeon with either foam sclerotherapy or surgery. Ideally, these should be treated prior to microsclerotherapy for the smaller thread veins.

Patients with the following are not suitable for treatment:

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Varicose veins

• Previous DVT/PE

• Current infection

• Inflammation of the veins in the last 3 months.

• Injury to the legs in the last 3 months

• Any blood disorder hypercoagulable state

• Period of immobility at the time of treatment

• Inability to ambulate

• Diabetes mellitus

• History of peripheral vascular disease

• Taking tamoxifen

• Active malignancy

• Recent cardiac problems

Very fine needles are used for microsclerotherapy. The thread veins are very superficial and therefore the needle barely penetrates the skin. This means it is a well-tolerated treatment. Patients sometimes experience some stinging.

The number of microsclerotherapy treatments required depends on the number of veins present. In patients with small numbers, 1-2 treatments is usually enough. In patients with larger numbers 3+ treatments may be needed.

At Whiteleaf Medical we provide skin-coloured compression stockings to be worn after your treatment. Ideally, these should be worn continuously for 24 hours after treatment and then as much as possible for the 48 hours after that. This increases the chance of a successful outcome of treatment.

The winter months are ideal for this treatment - wearing stockings in the winter is more comfortable and the areas treated will be inflamed afterwards for a few days and there may be a little bruising. In winter it is much easier to cover this up until fully healed. Perfecttiming to be ready for the warmer weather in spring and summer.

Once thread veins have been treated they will not return. However, it is possible for new ones to start forming and therefore patients tend to come back approximately every 1-2 years for a retreatment.