1. Discontinue medications or supplements that may thin your blood one week prior to vein treatments to minimize bruising and improve the success of your treatment. This includes fish oil, flax seed oil, Vitamin E, ginkgo blob, anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve), and red wine. If you are taking aspirin electively and not upon the advice of your physician, then you may stop it for 48 hours prior to your treatment. Do not stop aspirin if prescribed or recommended by your physician.

2. You may wish to bring a pair of shorts to wear during your treatment if you are having your legs treated.

3. If facial veins are being treated, there may be minor bruising and/or swelling following treatment. This can typically be covered using make-up. Plan accordingly since your face may show slight evidence of the laser treatment for a week or more.

4. If leg veins are being treated, there may be minor bruising, discoloration, and welting over treatment sites. Larger leg veins may appear bruised for a period of time after treatment. Full results can take weeks or months to be realized. Plan and schedule treatments accordingly, allowing for healing time and time for your treatment results to evolve to completion. The best time to treat leg veins are in fall, winter and spring when you are less inclined to wear shorts or be exposed to sun.

5. Plan treatments allowing for a period of no sun exposure, vigorous activity or useof hot tubs, saunas or spas for 48 hours after treatment.

Varithena® may be recommended based on your vein location, size, anatomy and vein tortuosity.

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Varithena® is:
• Effective to treat veins of different sizes above and below the knee
• Requires no incisions, sedation or general anesthesia
• Does not require a wire to be inserted along the length of your vein
• Does not use heat, eliminating the risk of thermal injury

WHAT IS VARITHENA®?

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Varithena® is a "microfoam" formulation of polidocanol (sclerosing agent) and CO2. The result is a microfoam that has an appearance and consistency similar to white, foamy shave cream.
Ultrasound guidance is used to inject Varithena® microfoam into the vein. The microfoam fills the lumen for circumferential contact where it's designed to displace blood and destroy the endothelial lining efficiently.

How many treatments will I need?

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The number and frequency of treatments depends on a patient's anatomy, how quickly the veins respond, and the patient's treatment goals. There is a limit on the amount of medication we can give you each day to avoid causing side effects. Some larger or resistant veins may require two treatments to respond completely but most veins respond to Varithena® after one treatment.

What should I expect on my treatment days?

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You will sign your consent form then change into shorts provided by the office. We will clean your skin with alcohol, then use ultrasound to localize the veins. The foam medication will then be injected into your veins with a fine needle. The foam fills and treats the desired section of the vein. The diseased vein collapses and the foam is deactivated. Your legs will be elevated on a comfortable wedge pillow for approximately 15 minutes. After your treatment, we will help you into your compression stockings, then you will walk for 30 minutes prior to getting in your car.

Dr. Amanda Steinberger is a Harvard-trained, board-certified vascular interventional radiologist. She specializes in a broad range of superficial vein disease including varicose veins, spider veins, venous leg ulcers, lymphedema and cosmetic laser vein treatments. Dr. Steinberger sees patients in our La Jolla Office.