How you prepare

Before the procedure, your doctor performs a physical exam and gathers your medical history.

Physical examination

Your doctor will:

• Evaluate the involved veins
• Check for any underlying blood vessel disease

Medical history

Your doctor will want to know your medical history, including asking about any:

• Recent illnesses or existing medical conditions, such as a heart condition or a past history of blood clots
• Medications or supplements you take, especially aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox Ds), blood thinners, iron supplements or herbal supplements
• Allergies
• Previous treatment for varicose veins and the results of the treatment

If you take aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium or blood thinners, your doctor may instruct you on how to stop taking the medication for a certain amount of time before the procedure, to reduce the chances of bleeding.

Ultrasound

Depending on which veins are involved, your doctor may request ultrasound imaging on the veins in your legs. Ultrasound is a painless procedure that uses sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body.

The day before

Before the procedure, avoid shaving or applying any lotion to your legs. (Don't shave or use lotion after the procedure until the injection site is healed either.) Wear loose, comfortable clothing to your appointment. You might even consider wearing a pair of shorts so that your legs are exposed.