Asklerol (polidocanol) contains a sclerosant agent, used to minimize or eliminate small varicose veins in the legs. The medication irritates the lining of blood vessels, causing clotting and ultimately their replacement with tissue, reducing their appearance.

Asklerol is only administered by injection directly to the problem area. Ampules do not need to be refrigerated; keeping at room temperature is fine. They should be stored out of direct light, however.

Patients will need to acquire syringes for injection; 26- to 30-gauge needles are ideal.

Post-treatment care is also important; use of compression on the treated area should be continuous for several days following administration and continue during waking hours for around one month. Moderate to extra-firm compression stockings or support hoses work well for this purpose.

Additionally for around one month following treatment patients must be able to:

• Walk a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes per day.
• Avoid long periods of inactivity, such as long car rides or long flights.
• Avoid extreme heat and sun, such as sunbathing, tanning booths, saunas, and hot baths.

Patients with blood vessel issues, circulation issues, or bleeding/clotting disorders should discuss risks with a doctor before starting treatment.

Treatment Guidelines

Each ampule of Asklerol contains 2 mL of injectable fluid. About 0.1 to 0.3 mL will be needed per inch of skin; 0.1 for very small veins 1 mm in diameter or smaller, and 0.3 for larger veins 3 mm or smaller. Asklerol should not be used in veins larger than 3 mm.

Multiple injections in a single session are common, as most patients have more than an inch of skin needing treatment. However, no more than 10 mL Asklerol should be administered at one time, even if some varicose veins remain untreated. Treatment can continue one week to one month after the previous treatment.

The medication should only be injected into a varicose vein. Injecting into surrounding tissue will be painful and not produce any benefit.

Asklerol should be expelled from the needle very slowly; this prevents the vein from rupturing and also helps keep medication from leaking out when the needle is removed.

If doing multiple injections, immediately move to the next vein after one is treated. Ideally the whole session will last less than 45 minutes. Once complete, immediately apply compression stockings and walk for 15 to 20 minutes.

Visible improvements should be noticeable two weeks after administration, with nearly full benefit seen after one month. Gradual improvements may continue for up to two months or longer. While other untreated areas may be treated in the interim, the same area should not be re-treated until at least two months have passed.

It can be both physically difficult and psychologically intimidating to use Asklerol on one's own. A friend---or ideally a doctor---can be a tremendous help in administration and monitoring for side effects.

Post-Treatment

Compression stockings (or some equivalent) should be worn continuously for the next three days, starting as soon as administration ends and including while sleeping. After the first three days, compression stockings should be worn during waking hours for one month. This helps prevent clots from breaking free and traveling the circulatory system, which can cause very serious complications.

Likewise walking for at least 15 to 20 minutes should be carried out daily for the next three days at a bare minimum, ideally for the next month. Extreme inactivity should be avoided, as should excess heat for the next month. These are all important to prevent blood clot complications and promote healing.

Asklerol can be difficult to get started with, but results are excellent in almost 90 percent of patients. Varicose veins are noticeably less visible after 2 weeks, with maximum results seen between 1 and 2 months. Aside from visibility concerns, varicose veins can cause complications of their own; Asklerol can also improve a patient's quality of life in numerous other ways.