Even though there have been several recent challenges that the global economy has had to face, the overall job market for medical practitioners trained in various cosmetic treatments continues to expand. As a matter of fact, nearly 16 million minimally invasive aesthetic procedures were performed in just the United States last year. Together, these treatments totaled roughly 16.5 billion dollars in revenue as well!
Have you thought about enhancing your medical practice by incorporating some additional cosmetic therapies? If so, you might want to think about looking at spider vein treatments. Luckily, if you are not sure where to start your search, Practical CME provides both online and in-person sclerotherapy training for nurses and other medical professionals that are interested in developing more skills, especially in the cosmetic field. Let’s take a closer look at aesthetic spider vein treatments and what they can do for your practice!
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins, which are also known as thread veins or their proper name telangiectasias, are small, thin veins that have been damaged and are visible to the naked eye. They typically appear on the surface of the face or legs and often develop in a branched or web-like form. Typical thread vein colors include blue, red, and purple. Most of the time they are not either harmful or painful, but many people want to eliminate them for aesthetic concerns since visible veins (especially on the face, hands, legs, and feet) are often associated with poor health or advanced age.
Spider veins are commonly confused with varicose veins. However, there is a definite difference. Varicose veins are characterized by swelling, pain, and twisting of the affected, damaged veins. In comparison, spider veins usually cause no pain and tend to be just a cosmetic concern. Also, thread veins tend to be much smaller than varicose veins; they never seem to get larger than 1 mm in diameter. Spider veins are also a bit more common: roughly 25 percent of men and 40 percent of women develop them at some point in their lives. As a matter of fact, roughly 80 million Americans have some form of them. Luckily, the most common therapy used to reduce the appearance of these types of damaged veins is also the most effective one: cosmetic sclerotherapy.
What Causes the Development of Spider Veins?
Spider veins found in the face are usually developed in a different way than telangiectasias on the legs. Thread veins on the face are primarily due to the bursting of tiny blood vessels. This reaction primarily occurs due to sun damage or increased blood pressure. However, these types of veins in the legs occur when internal valves stop working properly.
The main purpose of veins is to circulate blood back to the heart. In order to prevent the bloodstream from flowing the wrong way, veins contain a valve that locks the unidirectional flow. Unfortunately, these valves can become damaged or weakened over time which then can cause blood to pool and collect inside of the vein because the vein is struggling to empty itself. Over time, this pooling of blood can cause the vein to branch out in order to handle the extra volume, causing the production of spider veins.
What Is Cosmetic Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a common non-surgical cosmetic procedure that is used to reduce the appearance of thread veins. During this treatment, a compound known as a sclerosing agent (which is usually a type of salt-based solution) is injected into affected veins. The sclerosing agent (also known as a sclerosant) then causes the structure of the spider veins to become unstable and collapse which eventually causes them to fade away. After a few weeks, the newly collapsed veins completely disappear as they become reabsorbed by the surrounding tissue. While sclerotherapy is commonly used for aesthetic reasons, this procedure can help improve pain-related symptoms such as swelling, aching, and burning that occurs in roughly 25 percent of the people that have spider veins.
Is Sclerotherapy Safe?
Although many people are a bit nervous to get a cosmetic sclerotherapy procedure, they are usually quite unaware of how safe, effective, and comfortable newer spider vein treatments can be. First of all, sclerotherapy is a very safe therapy; it is far less risky and invasive than most traditional surgeries while typically not requiring anesthesia. This treatment is also very effective. As a matter of fact, studies indicate that sclerotherapy eliminates spider veins in up to 90 percent of all cases (even though multiple procedures may be needed). In the few cases that sclerotherapy isn’t effective, other options (including surgery) may be explored.
However, it should be noted that sclerotherapy can occasionally cause some negative side effects. These include pain, bruising, or redness in the areas surrounding the treated vein. On top of this, roughly 1 out of every 3 people who undergo this treatment develop tiny branches of blood vessels in the general area. Luckily, these vessels tend to fade and disappear by themselves.
Occasionally, patients might feel sensations of burning in their veins, have an allergic reaction to the sclerosing agent that was used, or even notice changes in skin color. Although it is quite rare, air bubbles from an improperly prepared needle can get injected into the bloodstream. This can cause headaches, bouts of nausea, and even changes in vision. In extremely rare cases, blood clots may form as well. These clots can become dangerous and life-threatening if they are left untreated. They can end up traveling to different areas of the body and cause blockages of blood vessels that can result in embolisms, strokes, or heart attacks. Therefore, it is important for people to seek immediate treatment if they suffer from breathing difficulties, chest pains, or dizzy spells after having a cosmetic sclerotherapy procedure.
What Are the Benefits of Incorporating Sclerotherapy Training Into Your Clinic?
Spider vein cosmetic procedures can vastly benefit your medical clinic because they are quite simple to perform, produce very effective results, and can be quite lucrative. On top of this, sclerotherapy procedures can be quickly incorporated into a practice with the proper training. Some of the main reasons to offer these treatments include:
1) Increased revenue
The typical price for this procedure is $300 per session. Furthermore, the average patient will need up to three sessions for the ideal results.
2) Increased client base
As we mentioned before, over 80 million Americans suffer from spider veins and many of them are looking to eliminate the appearance of their telangiectasias.
3) Being a cash-based therapy
Since sclerotherapy is conducted for aesthetic reasons, procedures are rarely covered by medical insurance. This means that costs must be paid out of pocket which only leads to increased profits for your practice.
4) Providing health benefits
People who suffer from certain types of venous insufficiencies may be good candidates for sclerotherapy since it reduces swelling and improves blood flow in the area.
Do you feel as if the medical practitioners at your clinic could benefit from taking some sclerotherapy courses? If this is the case, please contact us at Practical CME as soon as possible. We will show you how to perform the most up-to-date spider vein treatments while also covering the best sclerotherapy injection methods to lead to the most effective and safe procedures possible. We also offer a variety of continuing medical education courses in the other aesthetic and wellness disciplines. If you are looking to expand your practice’s skills, please visit our website and chat with one of our consultants today!
