What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy treats spider veins and smaller varicose veins with a simple injection. A medicine called a sclerosing solution is delivered through a very fine needle into the targeted vein, causing it to seal closed.
The sealed vein collapses and is absorbed by your body naturally over the following weeks, disappearing from view. Blood simply reroutes through nearby healthy veins, improving circulation.
Clears visible spider veins
Eases real symptoms too
Decades of proven use
How sclerotherapy works, step by step
A quick, in-office visit: no anesthesia, no incisions.
Map the veins
Your specialist examines your legs and, when needed, uses ultrasound to confirm which veins to treat and rule out an underlying cause.
A few tiny injections
Using a very fine needle, a small amount of a proven sclerosing solution is injected directly into each targeted vein. Most patients feel only a light pinch.
The vein seals shut
The solution irritates the vein lining so it closes. Your body gradually absorbs the sealed vein and reroutes blood through healthy veins nearby.
Compression for a week
You'll wear medical-grade compression stockings for about a week to support healing, reduce swelling, and help the treated veins fade.
More than a cosmetic fix
Spider and varicose veins aren't only about appearance. Many patients live with daily discomfort that eases once the veins are treated. Symptoms often worsen at night and improve when you elevate your legs. That pattern can be a sign of venous reflux, which we check for first.
Sclerotherapy can help relieve:
See real results
With 5,000+ vein cases treated at Empire Vein & Vascular, here are real outcomes from patients we’ve treated.
Photos of actual Empire Vein & Vascular patients. Individual results vary.
Sclerotherapy questions, answered
The things patients ask us most before getting started.
Most people feel only a small pinch or mild stinging as the solution goes in. The needle is very fine and no anesthesia is needed. Your whole visit is quick and comfortable.
Yes, the spider and small varicose veins we treat are permanently closed and fade over a few weeks. Because vein disease is progressive, new veins can appear over time, so some patients return for occasional touch-ups.
Treated veins typically fade over three to six weeks as your body absorbs them. Larger or more numerous veins may need more than one session for the best result.
When performed by an experienced, board-certified vascular doctor, risks are minimal and usually temporary. These can include mild bruising, redness, or slight skin discoloration around the injection sites, and they fade over time.
Yes. We ask patients to wear medical-grade compression stockings for about a week afterward. They encourage healthy blood flow, reduce swelling, support healing, and lower the risk of clots.
When visible veins are causing symptoms and treatment is considered medically necessary, insurance often covers at least part of the cost. After your free vein screening we verify your benefits and explain any out-of-pocket cost up front, with no surprises.
Ready to clear those veins?
Start with a free vein screening at any of our 6 Southern California offices: a quick, painless ultrasound and a clear plan.