Can foam sclerotherapy be toxic?

Is it bad for your health to have sclerotherapy? It seems dangerous to inject chemicals like that directly into the bloodstream. Couldn't they spread and cause damage to other veins/areas of the body?

Answers from doctors (7)


The Kimmel Institute

Published on May 15, 2013

Foam Sclerotherapy carries a few minor risks, but if an FDA approved solution is used, any potentially toxic effects would be due to incorrect usage. This may include things such as giving too much at a single treatment session or injecting into somewhere other than a vein. Complications may rarely include migraine headaches, temporary visual changes, ulceration at the injection site and more. Your doctor should review the more common complications with you prior to starting your treatments.

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Answered by The Kimmel Institute

Foam Sclerotherapy carries a few minor risks, but if an FDA approved solution is used, any potentially toxic effects would be due to incorrect usage. This may include things such as giving too much at a single treatment session or injecting into somewhere other than a vein. Complications may rarely include migraine headaches, temporary visual changes, ulceration at the injection site and more. Your doctor should review the more common complications with you prior to starting your treatments.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Vanish Vein and Laser Center

Published on Sep 16, 2010

Sclerotherapy is extremely safe. Any thing injected into the body has the possibility of causing a problem but with the millions of injections of both liquid and foam sclerotherapy, I am not aware of any reports of toxicity. Certainly there are local complications that can occur such as staining, matting and ulceration.

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Answered by Vanish Vein and Laser Center

Sclerotherapy is extremely safe. Any thing injected into the body has the possibility of causing a problem but with the millions of injections of both liquid and foam sclerotherapy, I am not aware of any reports of toxicity. Certainly there are local complications that can occur such as staining, matting and ulceration.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


More About Doctor Laser Vein Center

Published on Oct 15, 2009

The known risk of toxicity from foam sclerotherapy is extremely low. The effects of sclerotherapy are generally quite localized to the treated veins and the communicating veins nearby. The injected solution is quickly diluted a few centimeters from the injection sites, and generally does not cause damage to other areas.

Answered by Laser Vein Center (View Profile)

The known risk of toxicity from foam sclerotherapy is extremely low. The effects of sclerotherapy are generally quite localized to the treated veins and the communicating veins nearby. The injected solution is quickly diluted a few centimeters from the injection sites, and generally does not cause damage to other areas.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Vein Specialists

Published on Oct 14, 2009

Foam sclerotherapy in general is very safe, as long as very small amounts of air are used to create the foam and the procedure is done with the patient on a table that can allow the head to be placed lower than the feet which will allow the foamed solution to reside in the leg veins longer and the air to dissipate. CO2 has been substituted for air to create foam and ins
general is safer as it is more readily absorbed by the body. IN general, foam is used to treat larger veins and is rarely required to treat spider veins or small reticular veins. You should discuss the method of sclerotherapy with your vein specialist and have your questions answered before proceeding with foam sclerotherapy.

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Answered by Vein Specialists

Foam sclerotherapy in general is very safe, as long as very small amounts of air are used to create the foam and the procedure is done with the patient on a table that can allow the head to be placed lower than the feet which will allow the foamed solution to reside in the leg veins longer and the air to dissipate. CO2 has been substituted for air to create foam and ins
general is safer as it is more readily absorbed by the body. IN general, foam is used to treat larger veins and is rarely required to treat spider veins or small reticular veins. You should discuss the method of sclerotherapy with your vein specialist and have your questions answered before proceeding with foam sclerotherapy.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Miller Vein

Published on Oct 14, 2009

Sclerotherapy is generally very safe, as long as performed by an experienced practitioner. Typically, the sclerosing agent only damages the veins a short distance and then becomes too dilute to cause harm in other veins.

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Answered by Miller Vein

Sclerotherapy is generally very safe, as long as performed by an experienced practitioner. Typically, the sclerosing agent only damages the veins a short distance and then becomes too dilute to cause harm in other veins.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Heart and Vein Center

Published on Oct 13, 2009

Foam sclerotherapy can be dangerous if injected in high concentrations in the deep vein system or in an artery. With careful choice of a superficial vein and apropriate choice of concentrations is quite safe.

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Answered by Heart and Vein Center

Foam sclerotherapy can be dangerous if injected in high concentrations in the deep vein system or in an artery. With careful choice of a superficial vein and apropriate choice of concentrations is quite safe.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


More About Doctor Innovative Vein

Published on Oct 13, 2009

Sclerossant solutions in general are very safe. Hypertonic saline is just salt water. Totally natural. Sotradecol is cleared easily by your kidneys within one or two hours and has been studies extensively with no known end-organ issues. Of course, with any drug, there is always a risk of allergic reaction. This is a very rare but potential side effect with any sclerossant except for saline.

Answered by Innovative Vein (View Profile)

Sclerossant solutions in general are very safe. Hypertonic saline is just salt water. Totally natural. Sotradecol is cleared easily by your kidneys within one or two hours and has been studies extensively with no known end-organ issues. Of course, with any drug, there is always a risk of allergic reaction. This is a very rare but potential side effect with any sclerossant except for saline.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


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