Spider veins generally form when small valves within your veins weaken and fail. This causes a small amount of blood to pool in the vein, leading to damage. What you see on the surface is the outline of your damaged veins.

Spider veins are not usually painful, but they can make you feel embarrassed or self-conscious. There is no at-home remedy for them, although lifestyle modifications can lessen their appearance and possibly help you avoid a recurrence after you have them removed with sclerotherapy.

Many doctors consider this treatment to be the gold standard in treating spider and small varicose veins. It can also be used to treat more serious venous disorders. Medical professionals have used some variation of sclerotherapy has been used to treat damaged or blocked veins since the 1930s. That’s a long history of safe treatment, which may be why it is one of the most common methods used to remove spider veins.

Sclerotherapy is minimally invasive. It only involves a small injection placed directly into your vein and will feel similar to having an IV inserted. The injection will introduce a small amount of sclerosant, a special type of irritant, into your affected vein during your treatment session. The amount used will depend on the size and location of your spider vein.

It will take a few days for your results to become apparent. During this time, your old, dull skin will peel away revealing fresh, strong, bright skin beneath. The length of time it takes to see your results depends on which peel you get, so we’ll give you more specific instructions and ideas about results when you choose the peel you want to see.

Some people like to get lighter peels and repeat them on a regular basis; often every four to six weeks as new skin cells regenerate. Others prefer stronger peels less often. We’ll help you choose what’s right for you, and you can set up another peel treatment whenever you’re ready. Once you see the amazing results of a good chemical peel, though, we think you’ll be anxious to repeat them!

Once injected, the sclerosant produces irritation and swelling to the inside of the vein walls. This reaction causes enough swelling to close off your vein to blood flow. Your body responds by diverting that blood flow to nearby healthy veins.

Over a period of several weeks, the treated vein will slowly dissolve and get expelled from your body or absorbed into the surrounding tissue. This is a completely natural and painless response that your body will automatically initiate.

One nice feature of these treatments is that they can be performed right in our Beverly Hills office. This discreet and convenient option saves you the hassle of a trip to a hospital or outpatient surgery center clinic. Most treatments will take between 30 and 45 minutes, during which time you should be able to remain relaxed and comfortable.