Microsclerotherapy is a technique of injecting thread or spider veins with a substance through a very small needle. A large magnifying light is used.

A chemical called a "sclerosant" is used - this causes inflammation in the veins wall and, if the vein is small enough, the inflammation will destroy the vein over several weeks, making it much less noticeable or even invisible.

If you wish to see some small video clips of microsclerotherapy for leg thread veins, please click on the following:

• Video 1
• Video 2
• Video 3

Results of Microsclerotherapy:

(please click on the small pictures "thumbnails" to see proper sized pictures)

Not all microsclerotherapy is successful. In fact if you look hard enough no-one has a PERFECT result - you can't get the same skin back that you had as a child.

However, using microsclerotherapy, about 80% of our patients get a good or very good result, 15% get a fair or reasonable improvement. Five % have either no improvement, or worse, a complication. Such complications can be allergy to the injected solution or a reaction that kills the skin locally. Either of these can cause a small inflamed area, leading to an ulcer that can then lead to a permanent scar. Such permanent scars affect about 2% of patients having micro-sclerotherapy.

As microsclerotherapy causes closes the veins by inflammation of the wall, most patients get a patch of inflamed skin over the site of the injection which lasts for up to 2 weeks. The area then settles down but benefit isn't seen for about 12 weeks. After that we find that the veins often continue to improve for up to a year after the treatment. Depending on the number of thread veins on the legs, several sessions may be need to get the required results.

Overall 95% of our patients get an improvement with microsclerotherapy and 80% (4 out of 5) get a good or very good result.