Vein Care Patient Education & Instructions

• Bring your prescribed compression stockings with you on the day of your procedure.
• Wear loose-fitting pants or shorts.
• Do not shave your legs the night before or the day of your procedure.
• Do not apply lotion to your legs the day of your procedure.
• You will be given medicine during the procedure. Make sure you have a driver to take you to the office and back to your home.
• You will need to take an antibiotic at home before this procedure.
• You will be offered a prescription for medicine to help you relax before this procedure.

• Keep your thigh high compression stockings on all the time until your first follow up appointment. This should be about three days later.
• You cannot shower or take a bath until after your follow up appointment.
• You will have an ultrasound at your first follow up appointment.
• You may shower after your follow up appointment. Please avoid hot water, hot baths, hot tubs and saunas for at least two weeks.
• Continue to wear compression stockings while you are awake. Put them on as soon as possible when you get up for the day. Remove them right before going to bed.
• Avoid sun exposure or tanning to the treated veins for four weeks. This may cause skin discoloration.
• Take Tylenol™ (aceto….) as needed for pain. Please avoid anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and aspirin for ten days.
• Walking is encouraged. Resume normal activities.

For two weeks after treatment, avoid:

• Strenuous aerobic activity
• Running
• Weight lifting
• Long periods of sitting
• Long periods of standing

Radiofrequency ablation is safe; however, as with any procedure, can have adverse side effects.

• Darkening of the skin – Avoid direct sun exposure for four weeks after procedure to reduce the risk.
• Infection – There is always a small risk of infection with any procedure.
• Vessel injury or hematoma – The chance of this is low due to our use of ultrasound guidance.
• Nerve injury— If nerve injury occurs, you may have numbness or tingling of that area. It is usually temporary.
• Deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a vein) or pulmonary embolism (a clot in the lungs). This is a very rare, but serious, side effect. The ultrasound that is done on your follow up visit will check for this side effect. If deep vein thrombosis is found, you will need treatment.

• Please bring your prescribed compression stockings with you on the day of your procedure.
• Bring or wear loose-fitting pants or shorts.
• Do not shave your legs the night before or the day of your procedure.
• Do not apply lotion to your legs the day of your procedure.

• Keep your compression stockings on for the first 48 hours continuously.
• After 48 hours you may remove the stocking and bandages.
• You may shower after 48 hours.
• Continue to use compression stockings while on your feet during the day for 14 days. Put them on as soon as possible when you get up for the day. Remove them right before going to bed.
• Avoid hot water, hot baths, hot tubs and saunas for at least two weeks after sclerotherapy to avoid venous dilation.
• Avoid sun exposure or tanning to the injected veins for four weeks, as it may cause skin discoloration.
• Take over the counter Tylenol™ (aceto….), as needed for discomfort. Avoid anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
• Walking is encouraged. Resume normal activities. Avoid highly strenuous aerobic activity, such as running and weight lifting, for one to two weeks after injections.

Sclerotherapy is safe. As with any procedure, there can be side effects. Most of the side effects are minor and occur in only a small percentage of patients.

• Hyperpigmentation of the skin is the most common side effect. Five to 20 percent of patients will have light brownish discoloration of the treatment site. This normally disappears within three to 12 months.
• Post-treatment superficial phlebitis is a benign, short term condition. It consists of redness, warmth and pain over the treated vein. Reduce the effect by wearing compression stockings, taking an anti-inflammatory medicine and applying a warm compress to the area for no longer than 30 minutes daily.