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Asclera Uses
Healthcare providers often recommend using Asclera to get rid of reticular veins as well as spider veins. This product is a sclerosing medication that works by damaging the inside lining of the blood vessels, which are eventually replaced with scar tissue. It is not approved for use in children, who do not typically get these kinds of veins anyhow.
Asclera™ (polidocanol) is a prescription medication approved to treat spider veins and reticular veins.
Reticular veins are a type of varicose veins. They are known as "feeder" veins, since they often supply blood to smaller veins, including spider veins. Like other types of varicose veins, they are caused by faulty valves, which allow blood to pool and become stagnant in the veins.
Although spider veins are similar to reticular veins, they are smaller and closer to the surface of the skin. These veins are often red or blue, and they can look like tree branches or spider webs with their short, jagged lines. Spider veins can be found on the legs and face. They can cover either a small or large area of skin.
Your healthcare provider can diagnose spider and reticular veins by looking at them. In addition to performing a physical exam, your doctor can take x-rays or ultrasound pictures of the vein to determine the cause and severity. You may want to speak with a doctor who specializes in vein diseases (called a phlebologist).
Talk to your healthcare provider about what treatment options are best for your situation and lifestyle. Not all cases are the same.
If treatment is recommended or desired to get rid of spider veins and reticular veins, some available options include:
- Sclerotherapy
- Laser surgery.
(Click Get Rid of Spider Veins for more information.)
Asclera is a type of sclerotherapy.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD