POST CARE GUIDE

Sclerotherapy Aftercare

Sclerotherapy treats spider and reticular veins by injecting a solution that irritates the vein lining so the vessel collapses and is reabsorbed. What you do afterward matters: steady compression and daily walking in the first weeks are a large part of how cleanly the veins fade. This guide covers your compression stocking schedule, why to keep the legs moving, the heat and sun to avoid, the normal darken-before-fade timeline, and the follow-up cadence over the four-to-eight-week window when treated veins start to disappear. Most people need more than one session, and results build over several months.

Download Post Care Guide (806) 701-5840

Your Sclerotherapy recovery at a glance

What happens, and when

Here is the path from treatment day to final result.

First 24 Hours

Stockings on, no soak

Keep your compression stockings on continuously for the first 24 hours, taking them off only to shower. Skip baths, pools, hot tubs, and shaving the treated legs while the vein walls are still sealing. Start gentle walking the same day, and plan to stay upright and moving rather than lying still.

1 to 2 Weeks

Compress daily

Wear your stockings during waking hours for one to two weeks and walk every day. Long stretches of sitting or standing let blood pool and slow how the treated veins clear, so keep moving through the day. Hold off on strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and heat for the first week or two.

4 to 8 Weeks

Veins fade

Treated veins usually darken before they lighten, which catches people off guard. Visible fading tends to show around four to eight weeks, and color keeps clearing for several months as your body reabsorbs the vessel. More than one session is common, so book a follow-up to check progress.

How to care for treated veins through resolution

How to Care for Your Legs After Sclerotherapy

Hydrate well

Drink water steadily through the first week. Good hydration keeps your circulation moving and supports your body as it breaks down and reabsorbs the treated vein. It pairs naturally with your daily walks. There is nothing special to buy for this; plain water across the day is plenty.

Shower normally (after first 24 hours)

You can shower normally once the first 24 hours have passed. Keep the water lukewarm rather than hot, and pat your legs dry gently instead of rubbing. Heat opens up blood vessels, which can deepen the temporary darkening along a treated vein, so hold off on hot baths, hot tubs, saunas, and very hot showers for the first week or two. Cooler is simply better while everything settles.

Tylenol for discomfort

If your legs feel sore or tender, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the pain reliever to reach for. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen for the first 48 hours, since these NSAIDs thin the blood slightly and can add to bruising at the injection sites. If you take a daily aspirin or another blood thinner for a medical reason, do not stop it on your own. Call us at (806) 701-5840 and we will walk you through it.

Elevate legs (several times daily)

Put your legs up above heart level for 15 to 20 minutes a few times a day during the first week. Lying flat with a couple of pillows under your calves works well. Elevation eases the aching and swelling that can follow the injections and takes some pressure off the treated veins. Fit it in around your walks rather than instead of them; you want both the movement and the rest across a day.

Walk daily (30 to 60 minutes)

Take a 30 to 60 minute walk the day of your treatment, then keep up daily walks through recovery. Movement keeps blood flowing through the deep veins and helps your body clear the treated vessels. What you want to skip for the first one to two weeks is the hard stuff: running, heavy lifting, and intense workouts that strain the legs. Everyday walking is the goal here, not a week on the couch.

Compression stockings (first 48 hours)

Wear medical-grade compression stockings continuously for the first 48 hours, removing them only to shower. After that, keep them on during waking hours for another one to two weeks. Compression holds the treated vein walls together while they seal, and it is a large part of how cleanly a vein fades and how much of the brown post-treatment staining you avoid. Your provider will confirm the stocking strength and the exact number of days for your legs.

Bruising, raised lines, and the 2-to-6 week timeline

What's Normal: Sclerotherapy Downtime

Normal, temporary, and part of the process.

Skin discoloration (resolves over months)

Brownish or rust-colored lines along the treated veins are common. They come from iron, called hemosiderin, left behind as the trapped blood breaks down. You may also notice a faint blush of fine new vessels near a treated area, known as matting. Both are usually temporary; most staining fades over several weeks to months, though in some people it lingers longer. Keeping the area out of direct sun helps it clear and keeps it from darkening further.

Firmness along veins

You may feel firm, tender, cord-like areas or small lumps along a treated vein. That is trapped, clotted blood inside the sealed vessel, and it is a normal part of how sclerotherapy works. These spots soften and flatten on their own over the first several weeks. At a follow-up, trapped blood can sometimes be released to ease the tenderness and cut down on staining.

Vein darkening before fading

Treated veins often look darker, firmer, or more obvious in the first days and weeks. This is the vessel collapsing and trapping a little old blood as your body begins to break it down, and it is a sign the sclerosant did its job, not that something went wrong. The prominence eases as the vein is reabsorbed over the following weeks.

Bruising (1 to 2 weeks)

Bruising at and around the injection sites is one of the most common things you will see, and it can track a little along the path of a treated vein. It usually fades within one to two weeks as it moves through the ordinary color changes of any bruise. A cool compress can help; skip the NSAID pain relievers, which tend to make bruising worse.

Injection site redness (first day)

Small raised bumps, mild redness, a little swelling, and tenderness right at the injection points are normal and expected. Some spots look a bit like an insect bite or a raised, itchy welt for a short while. Most of this settles within about 24 hours. Keeping your stockings on and getting up to walk both help it calm down faster.

Activities and heat to avoid in the first week

What to Avoid After Sclerotherapy

Strenuous Exercise

Avoid strenuous exercise, heavy lifting, and high-impact activity (running, jumping, HIIT) for 48 to 72 hours. Walking is encouraged from day one.

Heat (1 to 2 weeks)

Avoid hot baths, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, and very hot showers for 1 to 2 weeks. Heat dilates vessels and slows the collapse of treated veins.

Pools & Chlorinated Water

Avoid chlorinated pools and hot tubs for 48 hours. Chlorine on freshly-treated injection sites can irritate and slow healing.

Sun Exposure (2 weeks)

Avoid direct sun exposure on treated legs for 2 weeks. Sun on the recovering skin can darken the hemosiderin staining and prolong its appearance.

Prolonged Sitting & Standing

Avoid prolonged sitting or standing in one position. Keep legs moving, take walking breaks, and elevate when resting. Stagnation slows the fading process.

Shaving Treated Areas

Do not shave the treated legs for 3 to 4 days. Razor irritation on injection sites can introduce bacteria and worsen inflammation.

Air Travel

Avoid air travel for at least 7 days. Cabin pressure and prolonged sitting both elevate clot risk after sclerotherapy. If unavoidable, wear compression stockings throughout the flight.

When to Call The Spa After Sclerotherapy

Contact The Spa immediately if you experience:

Some soreness, bruising, firmness along the treated veins, and temporary brown or reddish discoloration are all a normal part of healing. Call us if something feels beyond that, and treat the first two items below as an emergency:

Calf pain, sudden swelling, warmth, or tenderness in one leg — possible signs of a deep vein clot (DVT). This is rare, but it needs to be checked right away.
Shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing up blood — a clot may have traveled to the lungs. Call 911 or go to the nearest ER immediately.
An open sore, blister, or ulcer at an injection site, or skin that turns white and then dark soon after treatment.
Spreading redness, red streaking, warmth, pus, or fever — possible signs of infection.
Pain that keeps getting worse after the first week instead of easing.

During business hours, call The Spa by Sheena at (806) 701-5840. For any breathing, chest, or one-sided leg symptoms after hours, do not wait for a callback — go straight to the nearest emergency room.

FAQ

Your questions, answered

We’ve answered some of the most common questions below to help make your experience simple, transparent, and stress-free.

Sclerotherapy is an injection treatment for visible spider veins—small blue or red veins on the legs—and small varicose veins. We inject a sclerosing solution directly into the vein, which causes the vein to collapse and seal off. Your body absorbs the closed vein over the following weeks, and blood reroutes through healthier vessels.

What is sclerotherapy and what does it treat?

Most patients require 2 to 3 sessions for optimal clearance, scheduled 4 to 6 weeks apart. Severity of the vein network determines exact number—a small cluster might clear in 1–2 sessions, while widespread spider veins may need the full series.

How many sclerotherapy sessions do I need?

There's a brief stinging or burning sensation as the solution is injected—lasts a few seconds per injection site. Most patients describe it as more uncomfortable than painful. We use the smallest possible needles and work efficiently. No numbing required.

Does sclerotherapy hurt?

Recovery is about 7 days. Wear compression stockings for 5–7 days. Avoid hot baths, saunas, and intense leg exercise for one week. Light walking is encouraged. Bruising at injection sites is normal for 1–3 weeks.

What's the recovery from sclerotherapy?

Treated veins start to fade within 2–6 weeks as your body absorbs them. A follow-up appointment is recommended 4 to 6 weeks after your initial treatment to assess results. Larger veins take longer than smaller ones.

When will I see sclerotherapy results?

Sclerotherapy is $450 per session. Most patients need 2 to 3 sessions per area, scheduled 4 to 6 weeks apart. Series pricing available.

How much does sclerotherapy cost in Lubbock?

Treated veins don't come back—they're permanently closed and absorbed. But new spider veins can develop over time due to genetics, hormonal changes, pregnancy, prolonged standing, or aging. Annual maintenance is common. The veins we treat today won't return; new ones may appear in different locations.

Will spider veins come back after sclerotherapy?

Most adults with visible spider or small varicose veins are candidates. Not appropriate for patients who are pregnant, on certain blood thinners, with active blood clots, or with severe varicose veins requiring surgical evaluation. We screen at consultation and can refer to a vein specialist if your veins need more than what sclerotherapy can address.

Who's a candidate for sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy works on smaller varicose veins. Large bulging varicose veins typically require ultrasound-guided treatment, endovenous laser ablation, or surgical intervention—procedures performed by vascular specialists. We'll evaluate at consultation and refer if your veins exceed what we treat in-office.

Can sclerotherapy treat larger varicose veins?

Book a complimentary leg vein consultation. We'll examine the veins, discuss your goals, and design a treatment plan with pricing. Call (806) 701-5840 or book online. Best to schedule treatment in fall/winter when compression stockings are easier to wear.