It’s common for the staff at our Orlando vein center to hear people ask “Do you still do those saline injections for spider veins?” Typically, this question is followed by comments about how painful the saline injections are and how they had to lay down for days after the treatment to ensure proper results. One of the reasons Florida Vein Care participates in health fairs, physician-led community lectures, and trade shows is to educate the public on contemporary vein treatments available today. The next physician-led community lecture is Wed. Feb. 17th at the Marks St. Senior Center, led by Dr. Bragg.
Today, we consider saline injections “old school”, although the actual procedure known as sclerotherapy remains the gold standard. Why not saline anymore? It’s simple: technology has provided more effective and advanced sclerosing agents that perform better than saline with little or no discomfort to the patient.
When searching for a vein treatment practice, it’s important to ask: “What solution do you use for sclerotherapy?” If a practice says they use saline, chances are they don’t do a lot of sclerotherapy. Saline is inexpensive and has a long shelf life if preserved, so some practices out there will offer saline sclerotherapy to their clients as a convenience more than a routine procedure.
What sclerosing solution should you look for? At Florida Vein Care & Cosmetic Center, we use Sotradecol & Polidocanol. Both are specifically compounded to act as a vein “sealant” through sclerotherapy injections. Both Sotradecol and Polidocanol provide superior results with sclerotherapy and without the painful burn or sting of saline. Hemosiderin staining, a common side effect of saline injections, is also mitigated with the use of Sotradecol and Polidocanol.
The cost of these agents is much greater than saline as they are limited in shelf life and are custom compounded for sclerotherapy. This is why you will not see Florida Vein Care & Cosmetic Center offering low-cost sclerotherapy sessions like you may find on local coupon service sites. (Buyer beware when a sclerotherapy deal is too good to be true; it usually is!) When shopping for a sclerotherapy provider, it’s important to find out:
- Do they screen clients for venous insufficiency? If you are not screened for leaky vein valves, your spider and varicose veins will come right back. Find out if they do a Doppler exam to rule out venous insufficiency first.
- What sclerosing agent does the practice use to inject your veins? Look for superior agents such as Polidocanol and Sotradecol for all the reasons stated above.
- Who is performing the sclerotherapy & what certifications do they have? Sclerotherapy should always be performed by an MD, P.A.-C, or an ARNP.
- How long have they been practicing in the specialty of phlebology & are the injectors members of the American Academy of Phlebology?
- Does the practice prescribe graduated compression therapy after treatment? Any practice who doesn’t send you home in graduated compression stockings cannot be taken seriously as a vein treatment center.
At our Orlando vein center, Medical Director, Richard Bragg, MD, is Central Florida’s own expert on sclerotherapy and venous disease/treatment. Dr. Bragg has been practicing for more than 17 years and trains other physicians on endovenous laser therapy (EVLT), the latest innovation in varicose vein treatment. Madge Geohagen P.A.-C is his assistant, and she has more than 16 years experience as a sclerotherapy injector. “I have been having sclerotherapy treatments for years, and it wasn’t until I found Madge that I started to see real results! I recommend Madge to anyone with spider veins; she’s the best!”-Elizabeth, FVC client.
We welcome you to come to Dr. Bragg’s lecture at Mark’s Street Senior Center on Wednesday, Feb. 17th at 10 a.m. This event is free to the public. RSVP to Judy Vaughan, Florida Vein Care & Cosmetic Center Director: (407)805-8989 or email: [email protected]