It’s finally spring and if you’re wondering whether or not you should slide into a pair of shorts as temperature rise…know this…you don’t have to let unsitely spider and varicose veins get in your way. Sclerotherapy, also known as sclero, isn’t a “fix-all” but it can drastically change the look of your legs. It’s now the second most common invasive cosmetic procedure among American men and women. And the latest takes on this procedure…foam sclero and laser sclero…promise little pain and quick results for a few hundred dollars regardless of whether you need sclero for cosmetic or medical reasons.
Doctors say weight, heredity, pregnancy and working in occupations that require you to stand for long periods of time all contribute to men and women having problems with spider and varicose veins. Not only did the sclero patients we spoke to talk about how much they despised the look of the veins in their legs, but also they feel.
So, foam sclero is moreso used for painful varicose veins. If you can stand a small prick in your leg from a needle you’re half-way to the finish line. Shortly after that the foam is inserted into your veins and later massaged through your leg for even distribution.
If you’re interested in the laser sclero you might need a slightly higher pain tolerance, but the lady we spoke to after getting the procedure done said it was “nothing unbearable”. The laser is frequently described though as feeling like a burning sensation. Numbing cream is put on your leg beforehand to help.
Sclero used to be a 4 to 5 hour procedure that could sometimes require an overnight stay in the hospital. The two patients we spoke to were in and out in less than an hour! You should know that you may have to go for a few touch-ups after the fact, but your legs should be looking and feeling better in no time. Here are links to the two locations that we went to in order to get a first hand glimpse of these new sclero procedures: http://www.kevinmcmullenmd.com/ and http://www.ouphysicians.com/body.cfm?id=224
