Recovery After Spider Vein Treatment
If you’ve recently treated your spider veins or are considering a procedure, understanding the recovery process is important. While spider vein treatments are generally non-invasive and come with minimal downtime, understanding how to support your body during recovery can significantly improve your results.
Understanding the recovery process after spider vein treatment empowers you to plan ahead and feel confident in your journey to clearer skin and healthier legs.
What Does Recovery Look Like?
Spider vein treatments, such as sclerotherapy provides low discomfort, minimal interruption to daily life, and gradual cosmetic improvement over weeks.
You may experience slight redness, bruising, or swelling around the treated veins after leaving the clinic. This is completely normal and usually settles within a few days. Depending on the treatment method used, we may bandage your legs or you may also be asked to wear compression stockings to help the veins close and heal properly. These garments improve circulation, minimise bruising, and reduce the risk of any complications.
The most important thing to remember is that while spider veins often appear superficial, they’re still connected to a larger blood flow network. Supporting your recovery means supporting your entire vascular system.
Sclerotherapy Recovery
Sclerotherapy, also referred to as injection treatment, is one of the most popular treatments for spider veins, which involves injecting a solution directly into the affected veins. Most people experience mild itching or tightness around the injection site, but this typically fades within 24 to 48 hours.
Walking immediately after your appointment is encouraged. It keeps the blood moving and helps prevent clot formation. However, it’s best to avoid strenuous exercise in the first 48 hours. You may notice that your veins darken before they fade; this is a temporary phenomenon and part of the healing process.
Bruising can sometimes appear more intense before it fades, and hyperpigmentation may last for several weeks. This isn’t usually a cause for concern and is part of the body’s natural response to the injected solution breaking down the vessel walls.
Supporting Your Results
The choices you make during recovery can significantly impact the effectiveness of your results. While you may see visible improvement within days, the full effect can take several weeks or even a few months to develop as the body absorbs the treated veins.
To ensure the best outcome:
- Keep moving; short walks throughout the day help with circulation.
- Wear compression stockings if advised by Dr Milne.
- Avoid long periods of sitting or standing without movement.
- Elevate your legs when resting to encourage blood flow.
Good hydration also supports vascular health, helping your body process the treated veins more efficiently.
When to Be Cautious
While complications are rare, it’s important to know when to seek advice. If you notice increased pain, signs of infection, shortness of breath or swelling that worsens rather than improves, contact your vein specialist. At Laser Vein Co., we provide detailed aftercare instructions and encourage all patients to contact us if they have any questions or concerns about their recovery.
Don’t be alarmed if your veins don’t disappear immediately. The healing process is gradual, and depending on your skin type, vein size, and individual healing response, some areas may require more than one session to achieve optimal results.
Long-Term Considerations
Treating spider veins is a step toward clearer, healthier skin, but it doesn’t necessarily stop new veins from appearing in the future. Genetics, hormonal shifts, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to vein development. That’s why follow-up care is so critical. Your Vascular Surgeon might recommend maintenance treatments once or twice a year if you’re prone to new spider veins. Maintaining good circulation through regular exercise, a healthy weight, and supportive footwear can also help prolong the results.
Spider vein recovery is typically smooth, with most people returning to normal activities within one to two days.
Every treatment plan at Laser Vein Co is customised to your needs, and that includes aftercare. Whether you’ve just finished your first session or you’re planning your next, know that support is just a phone call or click away. Let your recovery be as clear and confident as your results.
