Asclera (polidocanol) is the FDA-approved sclerosing agent we inject directly into small, unwanted leg veins. The solution irritates the lining of the vein, the walls swell shut and seal, and over the following weeks your body breaks the closed vein down and reabsorbs it — so there's nothing left to see. It's built for two specific things: spider veins up to about 1mm (treated with the 0.5% strength) and the slightly larger bluish reticular veins, 1 to 3mm (treated with the 1% strength). Two honest things up front: Asclera has not been studied above 3mm, so genuinely large, ropey, bulging varicose veins are beyond what we treat — those need a vascular specialist — and most legs need a series of sessions, not a single visit. Every injection is performed by a licensed and certified registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
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A spider vein is just blood sitting in a tiny vessel close enough to the surface to see. We use a very fine needle to inject a small amount of Asclera straight into that vein. Polidocanol is a detergent-type sclerosing agent: it locally damages the endothelium — the smooth inner lining of the vessel. Platelets then gather at the injured spot and stick to the wall, a dense plug of platelets, cellular debris, and fibrin forms, and the vessel closes off. Finally the closed vein is replaced with connective fibrous tissue and reabsorbed. Think of pinching a drinking straw shut and gluing it closed — the channel is sealed, so the blood reroutes through healthier veins and there's nothing left to see.
Polidocanol is a sclerosing agent — a detergent-type compound that, injected straight into the vein, damages the endothelium, the smooth cells lining the inside of the vessel. The concentration is matched to the vein: 0.5% for the tiniest spider veins, 1% for the slightly larger reticular veins. We use only 0.1 to 0.3 mL per injection, because keeping each dose small is part of keeping it safe.
Once the lining is injured, your blood does the rest. Platelets aggregate at the damaged spot and attach to the vein wall, and a dense network of platelets, cellular debris, and fibrin forms and occludes the channel — it seals shut. With no blood moving through it, the vein has nothing left to make it visible. A compression stocking afterward holds the walls together while this sets.
Over the following weeks the occluded vein is replaced with connective fibrous tissue and quietly reabsorbed, and the blood simply reroutes through healthier deeper veins. The discoloration fades. Some veins clear faster than others, and extensive areas need more than one session spaced one to two weeks apart — leg veins reward patience and a proper series.
This is the single most important thing to understand before you book, and most ads won't say it plainly: Asclera is FDA-approved only for spider veins (≤1mm) and reticular veins (1–3mm) in the lower leg, and it has not been studied above 3mm. Fine, flat, web-like veins are its sweet spot. But large, raised, ropey, bulging varicose veins are a different problem the injection can't safely close — they usually have a deeper, faulty vein driving them, and that belongs with a vascular specialist who can do an ultrasound and treat the source. We'd rather refer you out than inject a surface vein that'll just come back.
Two honest notes. First, on dose: severe allergic reactions to polidocanol have been reported and are more frequent with larger volumes, so we deliberately keep each injection tiny — 0.1 to 0.3 mL — and cap the session at 10 mL. That restraint isn't us being slow; it's the safety margin. Second, on location: Asclera is approved for veins of the lower extremity — the legs. For visible vessels and redness on the face, we reach for light instead — our 1064nm Nd:YAG laser for discrete vessels, IPL for diffuse flushing. At your consult we'll match the vein to the right treatment.
The same technique treats both, but the strength changes with the size of the vein. The tiniest spider veins, a millimeter or less, get the gentler 0.5% solution. The larger bluish reticular veins, one to three millimeters, get the 1% solution. After either, compression and walking are part of the plan — and the duration of that compression depends on which vein we treated.
The fine red and blue threads are treated with the 0.5% concentration. After the session we apply compression with a stocking or bandage and have you walk for 15 to 20 minutes, then keep that compression on for 2 to 3 days. These are the bread-and-butter of sclerotherapy — satisfying to clear, though a leg full of them still takes a series.
The larger flat bluish veins get the 1% concentration. Because they're bigger, compression runs longer — 5 to 7 days — to help the walls stay sealed and lower the risk of clotting. For extensive areas we may recommend a higher compression class for longer. Anything genuinely large, raised, or bulging is past 3mm and goes to a vascular specialist instead.
From a fine web of spider veins on the thigh to the bluish reticular veins feeding them, Asclera handles the small, uncomplicated veins of the lower leg. Pick one — we'll tell you straight how we'd handle it, which strength we'd use, and what to expect.
Here's what decides whether Asclera is even the right tool: not your skin tone — sclerotherapy isn't limited by skin color the way lasers are — but the size and type of vein. Asclera is approved for spider veins up to about 1mm and reticular veins from 1 to 3mm in the lower leg, and was never studied above 3mm. Answer five quick questions for an estimate of where your veins fall and which strength we'd reach for. We always confirm it in person, because the right answer is sometimes a referral, not a treatment.
Most people walk straight back into their day — in fact, walking is part of the aftercare. What takes patience isn't downtime, it's clearance: the injection seals the vein during your visit, but your body needs weeks to break it down and reabsorb it, and treated veins often darken before they fade. Extensive areas need a series spaced one to two weeks apart. Tap through to see how it actually unfolds.
The injections themselves go fast. The care around them — your screening, the right concentration for each vein, the compression, the supervised walk, and the after-plan — is what makes it safe and gets you the result. Here's exactly what an Asclera sclerotherapy session at Brains & Beauty looks like. A facial laser visit runs differently, and we'll walk you through that separately if it's a better fit.
For about a week beforehand, stop anything that thins the blood — aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, fish oil, and similar supplements — since they make bruising more likely. One important exception: if a blood thinner is prescribed by your doctor, do not stop it on your own; tell us and we'll coordinate. Tell us about any history of blood clots or DVT, heart conditions, or allergies. Wear or bring loose shorts, and skip lotion on your legs the day of.
We inspect the solution, confirm your concentration — 0.5% for spider veins, 1% for reticular — and map the veins. Using a fine 30-gauge needle we insert it gently into each vein and inject slowly, just 0.1 to 0.3 mL at a time. Most people describe a mild sting or cramp for a moment. We keep injections small on purpose, because that's where the safety margin lives, and we watch you the whole time.
Before you head out, we apply compression and have you walk for 15 to 20 minutes while we keep you under observation. Keep compression on for 2 to 3 days for spider veins, 5 to 7 days for reticular veins, and walk daily for the next few days. For 2 to 3 days, avoid heavy exercise, sunbathing, long plane flights, and hot baths or saunas. Treated veins darken and fade over weeks — let them.
This clears the veins we treat — it doesn't stop new ones from forming. Extensive areas almost always need more than one session, spaced one to two weeks apart, because there's a limit on how much solution we use in any single visit. Even after a clean result, the things that made the veins in the first place — genetics, hormones, pregnancy, standing for work, pressure on the legs — keep working, so new spider veins can appear over time and occasional maintenance is normal. Some veins also respond faster than others. Compression and the walks aren't optional extras; they're part of how we keep the risk of clotting down and the result clean. Do the recommended series, keep your compression on, and that consistency is what separates a great result from a frustrating one.
Injecting a vein looks simple on a menu, but doing it safely — and being honest about which veins an injection physically can't fix — takes a real clinician. Polidocanol carries real, if uncommon, risks: allergic reactions, clots, and tissue injury if it's placed wrong. So every patient is medically screened before we book a thing: we review the size and type of your veins, your medications and any blood thinners, your history of blood clots or DVT, heart conditions, allergies, pregnancy or nursing status, and whether you can walk and wear compression afterward. We use the smallest effective dose and are prepared to manage a reaction on the spot. We'd rather lose a sale than treat the wrong vein with the wrong tool — large or symptomatic veins go to a vascular specialist, and facial vessels go to our laser or IPL.
Every patient is screened for safety first — vein size and type, medications and blood thinners, clotting and DVT history, heart conditions, allergies, and pregnancy status — before a single injection.
We inject just 0.1–0.3 mL per vein, because larger volumes carry more risk. We keep you under observation afterward and are equipped to treat an allergic reaction on the spot.
Spider veins get the 0.5% solution; reticular veins get 1%. We match the concentration and the compression plan to the exact vein, rather than running one template across every leg.
If your veins are large, ropey, or symptomatic, that's a deeper problem for a vascular specialist — and facial vessels belong with our laser. We'll get you to the right place, here or elsewhere, over a package you'll regret.
Sclerotherapy is priced by the session, because that's how the treatment actually works — each visit caps at 10 mL of Asclera, and a leg with a lot of veins simply needs more than one. A small area runs at the low end; a full leg or a series runs higher. Every plan starts with a free RN consult to confirm your veins are in the treatable range and give you an honest session count.
No marketing-speak. The real questions, with the real answers, from people considering Asclera sclerotherapy for spider and reticular leg veins.
Start with a free educational consult — an RN will look at the size and type of your veins, confirm whether Asclera is the right tool, map out how many sessions you'll really need, and answer every question. Want to talk through your options with an NP first? Book the $50 consult instead.
Book Now →The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Asclera (polidocanol) is an FDA-approved prescription sclerosing agent indicated for uncomplicated spider veins (≤1mm) and uncomplicated reticular veins (1–3mm) of the lower extremity; it has not been studied or approved for veins larger than 3mm. Candidacy, treatment plans, session counts, and expected outcomes vary by individual and are determined only after an in-person clinical evaluation. The interactive tools and quizzes on this page are for general guidance only and do not constitute a medical determination. Sclerotherapy carries risks including but not limited to allergic reaction, blood clots (including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), tissue injury, and discoloration; a full list of risks and alternatives will be reviewed with you and documented via informed consent prior to any treatment. This page does not replace a consultation with a licensed medical professional. All treatments at Brains & Beauty Aesthetics are performed or supervised by licensed medical professionals in accordance with Arizona state law and the Arizona State Board of Nursing standards of practice.