The pictures to the right show a typical before-after for severe varicose veins.
The treatment of large varicose veins such as these requires anywhere from 1-10 injections per leg, usually given over the course of 2-4 office visits. Typically, these visits are weekly.
After the injections, most patients are in a special stocking for a period of time ranging from as little as a few days, to as much as 5-6 weeks.
The treatment causes the veins to shrink gradually. Average shrinking times are in the range of 2-4 months. During the first few weeks, the vein may be a bit sore if you press directly on it, but, ordinarily, there is no soreness with walking, exercise, or normal activities generally. Most patients return to work immediately. For most of the shrinking period, the vein will cause you no trouble at all, and toward the end, you will hardly be aware of it.
The skin over the vein may have a lingering discoloration for a while. You can see some of that in the "after" picture to the right. Note, however, that the vein itself has shrunk dramatically!
These discolorations fade completely, almost without exception, but the time necessary can be quite variable. In some cases there is little or none, and it's all gone in just a few weeks. In more severe cases, the skin may darken considerably, and the discoloration may fade more slowly, over a period of months. "Permanent" discoloration does not occur in the ordinary situation.
