Spider Vein Removal in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh’s North Hills · Sclerotherapy with Asclera®

Designed for those bothered by spider and reticular veins on the legs. Always Melissa.

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive injection treatment that causes unwanted surface veins to seal and gradually fade. We use Asclera, an FDA-approved sclerosing solution, in precise sessions planned around your vein pattern. Every treatment is performed by Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C.

Book A Consultation Call (412) 385-3191

Aetheria Aesthetics treatment room in Pittsburgh's North Hills

What Is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy treats spider and reticular veins with a series of precise micro-injections. The solution, Asclera (polidocanol), irritates the lining of the unwanted vein so its walls seal together. Your body then reabsorbs the closed vein over the following weeks while blood reroutes through healthy vessels nearby.

It is the long-standing standard for small leg veins: spider veins, the fine red or purple clusters near the surface, and reticular veins, the slightly larger blue-green vessels that often feed them. Treating the feeding vein along with the visible cluster is part of why a clinically planned session holds up better than spot treatment.

Spider veins are one of those small things that quietly keep people out of shorts every summer. Sclerotherapy is precise, quick, and genuinely satisfying to watch fade.

MELISSA KOLOWITZ, PA-C OWNER | PROVIDER

How Sclerotherapy Works

The treatment itself takes minutes. The result unfolds over the following weeks, as sealed veins fade and blood flow settles into healthy vessels. Here is what that approach offers.

Minimally Invasive

A quick series of micro-injections in an office visit, with no anesthesia required.

Treats the Feeders

Reticular feeder veins are treated along with the visible clusters, not just the surface.

Little Downtime

Walking is encouraged right away, and most patients return to their routine the same day.

Gradual, Natural Fade

Treated veins seal, then fade over several weeks as the body reabsorbs them.

What Sclerotherapy Treats

Sclerotherapy is a precision tool for small surface veins of the legs. Here is where it works, and where something else is the right call.

Spider Veins

Fine red or purple vessels that appear in clusters, webs, or branches near the skin surface.

Reticular Veins

Blue-green vessels one to three millimeters wide that sit a bit deeper and often feed spider clusters.

Thighs and Calves

The most common treatment areas, where surface veins show most.

Ankles and Behind the Knee

Delicate zones treated with finer technique and conservative dosing.

Veins After Pregnancy or Time

Spider veins that arrived with pregnancy, hormones, or years on your feet.

When It Is Not the Answer

Larger varicose veins and symptomatic vein disease call for a dedicated vein evaluation, and Melissa will refer you when that is the right path.

Is Sclerotherapy Right For You?

Sclerotherapy may be a fit if visible leg veins bother you and you are otherwise healthy. Most patients we treat share several of these characteristics:

Have spider veins or small blue-green reticular veins on the thighs, calves, or ankles
Avoid shorts, skirts, or swimwear because of visible veins
Are not pregnant or nursing, and have no history of blood clots (reviewed at consultation)
Can wear compression stockings for a short period after treatment when advised
Want a provider who will refer you for a vein evaluation when the finding calls for it

If an exam suggests larger varicose veins or underlying vein disease, the right first step is a dedicated vein evaluation, and Melissa will point you there honestly. Individual results vary.

Why Aetheria for Spider Vein Removal

Good sclerotherapy is pattern reading: identifying which reticular vein feeds which cluster and treating in the right order, not simply injecting every visible vessel. A measured, clinically planned session is the right approach, and it is how every vein treatment is performed at Aetheria.

Every treatment is performed by Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C. Always Melissa. Her 20+ years of clinical and surgical experience mean your vein pattern is mapped before the first injection.

Provider-performed. Your injections are performed by a PA-C, not handed off.
Pattern-first planning. Feeder veins are identified and treated along with the visible clusters.
Honest scope. Asclera is for spider and reticular veins; larger varicose veins get a referral, not a workaround.
Follow-up built in. We reassess after the veins fade and plan any additional session deliberately.

Book A Consultation

Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C, founder and provider at Aetheria Aesthetics

Your Sclerotherapy Visit

From first conversation to follow-up, here is how spider vein treatment works at Aetheria.

Consultation

Melissa reviews your medical history, examines the veins, and confirms sclerotherapy is the right treatment. About 30 minutes, with no pressure to treat the same day.

Your Treatment

A very fine needle places small amounts of Asclera into each vein. Most sessions take 15 to 30 minutes depending on how many veins are treated.

Recovery

You can walk out and drive yourself home. Compression stockings for a short period, plus a brief pause on strenuous exercise, hot baths, and direct sun, are typical aftercare.

Results and Follow-Up

Treated veins gradually fade over several weeks. Larger or more numerous veins sometimes call for a second session, planned after we see how the first responds.

Common Questions About Spider Vein Removal

How many sclerotherapy sessions will I need?

Many patients see meaningful improvement after a single session, and veins continue to fade for several weeks afterward. More extensive or stubborn patterns often call for a second session, occasionally a third, spaced after we have seen how the first responded. Melissa gives you an honest read on what your pattern is likely to need at consultation. Individual results vary.

Does sclerotherapy hurt?

Most patients find it easy to tolerate. The needle is very fine, and the usual sensation is a brief pinch at each injection point, occasionally with a few minutes of mild cramping or stinging near the treated vein. No anesthesia or numbing is needed, sessions take 15 to 30 minutes, and you can drive yourself home and return to most normal activities right away.

What is the recovery like after sclerotherapy?

Light and brief. Walking right after treatment is actually encouraged, since it keeps blood moving through the healthy veins. We typically recommend compression stockings for a short period and a brief pause on strenuous exercise, hot baths, and direct sun on the treated area. Mild bruising or small raised spots at injection sites are common and settle on their own. Melissa reviews your specific aftercare before you leave.

When will I see results, and do treated veins come back?

Treated veins fade gradually over several weeks as the body reabsorbs them, with smaller spider veins often clearing sooner than larger reticular veins. Veins that seal fully generally do not reopen. New veins can still form over time with heredity, hormones, and lifestyle, which is why some patients return for occasional touch-up sessions in later years. Individual results vary, and Melissa sets realistic expectations at consultation.

Can sclerotherapy treat varicose veins?

No, and it is worth being direct about that. Asclera is FDA-approved for spider veins and small reticular veins up to about three millimeters. Larger, bulging varicose veins, or symptoms like aching and swelling, can signal underlying vein disease that deserves a dedicated vein evaluation first. If your exam points that way, Melissa will refer you rather than treat around the real issue.

What Patients Say

Pair Spider Vein Removal With

Vein treatment sits naturally alongside other body-focused treatments at Aetheria. Here are the most common pairings.

Laser Hair Removal

Long-term hair reduction with the Prestige HR laser, a natural companion to clearer legs.

Explore Laser Hair Removal

QuantumRF

Minimally invasive radiofrequency body contouring and skin tightening for deeper structural concerns.

Explore QuantumRF

Chemical Peels

Medical-grade ZO peels for tone and clarity wherever sun and time have left their mark.

Explore Chemical Peels

Visit Aetheria in Pittsburgh’s North Hills

Sclerotherapy at Aetheria is by consultation. We serve patients across Pittsburgh’s North Hills, including Ross Township, Wexford, Cranberry Township, Sewickley, and Mars. Book online or call to schedule a clinical assessment with Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C.

Book A Consultation

Call (412) 385-3191