Sclerotherapy can occasionally cause a few side effects. Allergic reactions are rare. You may have itching and or bruising at the injection site. The tape used to hold the cotton balls in place may cause a blister or skin irritation. Staining or brown pigmentation may occur at the site or along the line of the vein in 10-30% of patients; in most cases this will go away, but may take many months. Clots may appear within the treated vein; these are not dangerous (unlike clots in the deep veins), but can be tender if it occurs in a larger vein and it can increase the risk of brown pigmentation. It is important to return for your follow-up appointment in 2 weeks so these can be removed through a small needle prick. ‘Telangiectatic matting’ or ‘blushing’ refers to the appearance of tiny new veins at or near previously injected veins and occurs in approximately 15% of patients after sclerotherapy, especially those taking estrogen. It usually goes away after several months, but may be permanent in a few cases.


Last updated on January 17, 2010 by Sarah Yousuff, MD