Sclerotherapy off the Lower Extremities: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of Veins Treated on the Dorsal Hands and Chest

Abstract

BACKGROUND Few studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of treatment of cosmetic dorsal hand and chest/breast veins. OBJECTIVE To retrospectively evaluate results of dorsal hand and chest vein foam sclerotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective chart review of dorsal hand and chest vein sclerotherapy patients at a dermatology practice was performed between January 2014 and April 2023. RESULTS Fifty-five patients (54 female and 1 male patients) with a mean age of 55.8 ± 10.5 (31–83) years underwent treatment. Mean number of sessions for dorsal hand (n = 41) and chest (n = 14) patients were 1.5 ± 0.9 (1–5) and 1.6 ± 1.2 (1–5), respectively. Both groups were predominantly treated with 0.2% sodium tetradecyl sulfate or 0.5% polidocanol foam. Rate of coagulum formation across all sessions in the dorsal hands and chest was 15.2% and 3.0%, respectively. Vein induration, edema, postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation, and persistent erythema were rarely seen. No patients experienced superficial venous thrombophlebitis, erosion/ulceration, telangiectatic matting, or neurologic side effects. Seventy-five percent and 63.2% of chest and hand patients, respectively, demonstrated significant clinical improvement at 3-month follow-up, although not systematically evaluated. CONCLUSION Foam sclerotherapy of dorsal hand and chest veins with detergent sclerosing agents is safe and effective with mild, self-limited adverse events.