Feeling Vain? Sclerotherapy Effective in Removing Facial Veins

Released: 2/25/2002 12:00 AM EST
Embargo expired: 2/24/2002 1:00 PM EST
Source: Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

Karen Klickmann
(847) 240-1735
kklickmann@aad.org

Jennifer Gale
(847) 240-1730
jgale@aad.org

Julie Bremer
(847) 240-1743
jbremer@aad.org

FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 24, 2002

FEELING VAIN? STUDY FINDS SCLEROTHERAPY EFFECTIVE IN REMOVING FACIAL VEINS

NEW ORLEANS (February 24, 2002) - When you look in the mirror, what's the first thing you notice? If you're like most people, you usually focus on the things you would like to change - from acne scars to the fine lines and wrinkles of sun damage. But some people see shades of blue or green from facial veins that commonly appear under or around the eye area. While facial veins usually do not cause pain or vision problems, they can be esthetically unpleasing in the eye of the beholder.

Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology's 2002 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, dermatologist David Green, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C., discussed findings of a recent study he conducted using sclerotherapy to remove common facial veins.

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical procedure that permanently removes unwanted veins. A special sclerosing solution is injected with a very fine needle into the blood vessel, which irreversibly alters the vessel wall causing it to be absorbed so that it fully and permanently disappears.

While sclerotherapy has been used successfully for more than 100 years to remove unwanted spider veins and varicose veins on the legs, it has only recently been found to safely remove unwanted facial veins.

"Although the treatment of leg veins is widely available, physicians rarely treat unwanted facial and, in particular, eyelid veins," explained Dr. Green. "Results using lasers or surgical ligation of these veins have been inconsistent at best, and small scars usually persist at the incision sites. Physicians have been reluctant to use sclerotherapy to remove facial veins because they fear inflicting ophthalmologic or neurologic complications, despite the absence of any reports of such complications."

In his study, Dr. Green treated 50 patients who had unwanted veins on the eyelids and around the eyes with sclerotherapy. After one treatment session, sclerotherapy was found to be effective in permanently removing these veins. The complete disappearance of the veins was observed within two months after treatment for all patients. Side effects were minimal, with some patients experiencing mild swelling and bruising that lasted up to 10 days. Patients were allowed to resume all their regular activities following treatment with no limitations.

In addition, no new veins appeared in the skin around the eyes where veins were removed during the 12-month period following the procedure. Of the 50 patients treated, no patient required a second treatment and there was no hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin, at the site of the treated vein.

By studying the anatomy of the veins in the skin of the face, Dr. Green provided evidence for the absence of a direct connection between veins in the skin around the eyes and the veins that supply the eye and brain. Under normal circumstances, the veins of the face, including eyelid veins, directly drain into either the external jugular or internal jugular veins, bypassing the deeper veins of the eye and brain. Dr. Green explains that this is the reason why adverse ophthalmologic and cerebral effects have not been previously reported when using sclerotherapy to treat facial veins.

"The results of the study were extremely positive. It is important to underscore that no patient reported any significant symptoms during or after treatment with sclerotherapy, including ophthalmologic or neurologic changes," said Dr. Green. "As more and more physicians turn to sclerotherapy as an effective and safe way to treat facial veins, patients will finally have a viable option to eliminate these noticeable veins."

The American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of over 14,000 dermatologists worldwide, the Academy is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin. For more information, contact the AAD at 1-888-462-DERM or www.aad.org.

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