Post Sclerotherapy - what compression to wear

A friend of mine was recently telling me that she was looking into sclerotherapy to remove some spider veins on her legs. During her research she found that you need to wear compression hosiery immediately after the procedure and for about two weeks after. However, she couldn’t find much in the way of information on what type of compression she should wear for sclerotherapy recovery. So naturally, she did a Google search and was immediately overwhelmed and confused by all the options. Luckily she has a friend in the compression business to help guide her! In case anyone else is confused about what to wear after sclerotherapy, I thought I’d share my advice here.

During sclerotherapy treatment, your doctor will elevate your leg and inject the target veins with sclerosant. The procedure doesn’t take long (anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes) and you can get up and walk around, which is important to prevent the formation of blood clots. Additionally, to prevent blood clots – patients must wear compression hosiery over the site of the injection. Compression socks or stockings make sure that blood does not flow back into these treated veins after treatment. Some doctors may tell you that you only need to wear compression stockings for 24 – 48 hours after the procedure, but we think it’s better to be cautious. You’re most likely paying for this procedure out of pocket – so do everything that you can to make sure you get the results you’ve paid for! We recommend wearing compression for AT LEAST a week after your procedure during the hours you’re on your feet. Ideally – you should wear the hosiery for two weeks. You don’t need to wear the hosiery to bed.

So, what kind of compression hosiery should you wear after sclerotherapy? Most doctors will recommend at least 20-30 mmHg of compression in thigh highs or pantyhose. Since you’ll be wearing these for a few weeks, you should purchase something that will be comfortable and attractive – something you won’t mind wearing for a few weeks. If you’re imagining the thick, unsightly compression hose that your grandmother wore - don’t worry! These days, compression stockings come in all sheerness levels and colors. Most people won’t be able to tell the difference between your compression stockings and regular pantyhose.

So, before your procedure, take the time to measure your legs, read reviews of different brands and styles, and buy the hosiery you know you’ll be able to wear for the weeks following your procedure. We have a large selection of pantyhose and thigh highs – and our customers are very honest in their reviews of the products, so it’s a great place to start! Since the majority of people only need to wear compression for a few weeks after treatment they don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on garments. The Allegro line, exclusive to BrightLife Direct, has a huge selection at a lower price point while still delivering the necessary compression.