Has anyone had foam sclerotherapy for varicose veins?

[MotherQueenXeno]

I have awful horrible varicose veins on one leg, and mild ones on the other. I am fed up of sweating all summer in trousers and long skirts and have an appointment for a consultation for a scan to see if the veins are suitable for foam scelortherapy.

Has anyone had this done/or know anyone who has? Were you/they happy with the results?

A friend of mine had it done and was very pleased with it. She has an annual re-assessment from the surgeon ( which she has to pay for) and has had to have additional veins treated subsequently so is now rather less pleased with it

My veins were done by EndoVenous Laser Ablation (EVLA). I was told that foam was an inferior method as further sessions are often needed and apparently you can get brown scarring showing through the skin.

I've had no need for any further treatment, no scarring and I wasn't required to walk each day nor was I banned from standing still for weeks as she was.

I have regular endovenous laser and sclerotherapy by the same consultant.

I'm sedated for the laser treatment and treated as a day case, I'm fully awake for the sclerotherapy and just have a lot of injections.

Over the following weeks the vein swell and harden and the skin can feel taut and then the veins shrink and finally disappear over a few months. I had my last endovenous treatment on Good Friday and the veins are still hard in spots but gradually shrinking. I had sclerotherapy 3 weeks later and are fine now.

Some veins were left with brown staining and took a long time to fade but they did eventually go.

Quite a long aftercare routine, I think I wore full leg compression stocking for a month? But happy with result and procedure itself was fine too. For me it was more about the pain one big one was causing than the appearance but don't have any discolouration that I've noticed

Thank you. The consultant also offers the laser treatment so I will ask him about that. One of the veins in particular is very large (he even said 'wow' when he saw it...) so I am a bit concerned that, from what I have read, foam won't be as effective.

My EVLA and the cosmetic ablation were all done under locals as a day surgery. I didn't realise he'd done the EVLA until he'd finished.

The additional cosmetic surface ablation for the hideous surface vein took rather longer but it was 50:50 whether the vein would collapse on its own so he decided there and then to just remove it.

I have a very large vein on my left leg around the knee and just above and it has just started getting really itchy so I feel I need to do something about it.

Are there any recommendations for a clinic/surgeon in the North West?

Thanks

I asked my GP for a recommendation and he made a private referral for me.

I didn't really want to use one of the clinics. They weren't actually any cheaper and I just felt happier having the work down by a consultant vascular surgeon especially if there had been any complications.

I went for ligation and stripping of a large varicose vein in a lower leg a few years ago.

They did it under local anaesthetic and yes, my leg was very bruised for a couple of weeks afterwards but it soon healed and I have had no problems since.

Does a vascular surgeon always go for stripping or do they also do other procedures like EVLA and injections.

I must agree that I would rather go to a vascular surgeon that a "clinic" but not if they always go for the stripping option as I m hoping to void that.

I had massive veins at the back of my knees. I didnt want them stripping under GA as i had young toddlers and was worried about the risks of surgery.

So i had them treated with foam. Initial results were amazing, totally cleared both legs including one the surgeon described as a "bunch of grapes". But 4 years later and they've come back, theyre stilp not as bad as before, but they're getting there.

I had it years ago but I don't think it really worked- the vein is still there.

No - mine was strongly in favour of the laser ablation.

I did ask about the foam but he said that was the worst option. High reoccurrence rate and the risk of brown marks where the vein had been. This has been my friend's experience. She has had to go back a number of times for further treatment and the clinic seem to expect that this will be necessary as they charge an annual retainer!

Thank you for the comments.

I also wonder if they take out/close a vein where does the blood go, surely you need those veins!

There must be a limit as to how many veins they can treat.

I asked that too! Apparently the blood gets re-routed.

It's usually one of the main deep veins that's the problem and the laser ablation seals it shut. I had a scan beforehand so the surgeon knew which of the veins was faulty. The surface veins which cause the itching and look awful are just collateral damage.

Does the foam just close these surface veins but doesn't address the actual cause of the problem which is why more surface veins then become varicose?