Spider Vein Care Treatment

Understanding what to expect post-vein procedure can provide a sense of comfort. From recovery times to potential sensations, these insights into what you can expect after spider vein treatment help you prepare for a confident and comfortable healing process.

• You may experience a sensation of tightness or pulling along the length of the treated vein. This is normal and to be expected. Before treatment, the veins were very flexible. However, once treated, the vein contracts and becomes scar tissue, often described as a cord-like sensation. This can develop one to four weeks after treatment and resolve over time.
• As the treated vein closes, it can cause an inflammatory reaction in the treated area, appearing red, swollen, tender, and having a sensation of warmth. This can occur within one week after laser or radiofrequency ablation treatment or three to six weeks after foam sclerotherapy treatments.
• Feeling hardened, tender knots in treatment areas are also normal, especially after an ambulatory phlebectomy treatment. Referred to as “trapped blood,” this happens when blood is stuck within the treated vein and starts to clot. These aren't usually dangerous to your health but can be tender and warm to the touch.

If you notice warmth or redness in the leg that's associated with severe pain, fever, or increased swelling in one leg that's new, please reach out to us.

• To relieve discomfort and promote healing, we recommend applying a warm, moist compress a few times a day and massage gently. This will help the natural reabsorption of blood in these areas. Blood will reabsorb, even without intervention, but these recommendations will speed up the process.
• Depending on your level of discomfort, there's also the possibility of having a thrombectomy performed to produce immediate relief. This would require local anesthesia of the area and a stab puncture in the skin to express and squeeze out the trapped blood.
• Skin discoloration can occur when the treated vein lies close to the skin's surface. Once treated, the byproducts of the blood (which has a staining component) are absorbed by the overlying skin. Throughout the healing process, this will lighten. This can take several months, depending on the size of the vein corrected.
• Patients may experience decreased or a loss of sensation in the treatment area, especially along the shin bone or ankle region. This is due to nerve irritation and will resolve gradually throughout the healing process.
• Some veins require multiple treatments to resolve completely. We'll reevaluate these veins at the one-month follow-up to determine whether more treatments are needed. Sometimes, insurance companies will pay for another round of visual sclerotherapy. However, if this isn't an option, your Center for Vein Restoration vein doctor will discuss other treatment options with you.

Venous insufficiency is a chronic disease. We eliminated the diseased veins initially seen to be refluxing (i.e., not moving the blood properly). Still, because of the progressive nature of vein disease, new veins may become dysfunctional over time. This is why we provide surveillance and monitoring services to our patients. We recommend reevaluation at the one-month, six-month, and one-year points post-procedure. After the first year is complete, you'll need annual follow-up appointments.

• If you develop new or worsening symptoms, contact your Center for Vein Restoration vein clinic to make an appointment for an evaluation.