Pittsburgh's North Hills · Sclerotherapy with Asclera®
Spider Vein Removal. In Pittsburgh, PA.
Designed for those bothered by spider and reticular veins on the legs. Always Melissa.
The Approach
Unwanted veins seal.
Then gradually fade.
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.
Clinical Summary
Sclerotherapy treats spider veins by injecting a medical solution directly into the visible vessel, irritating its lining so the vein closes and is gradually reabsorbed by the body. It remains the gold-standard approach for the small red and blue vessels that web across thighs, calves, and ankles. At Aetheria Aesthetics & Wellness in Pittsburgh's North Hills, sessions are performed by Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C, whose two decades of clinical experience include extensive vascular work; each visit treats as many vessels as is safe in roughly 15 to 30 minutes. Expect compression stockings and walking afterward, with treated veins darkening before they fade over several weeks. Larger or symptomatic veins are screened first, since they can signal underlying venous issues that deserve evaluation. Most patients need one to three sessions depending on extent. Candidacy is assessed at consultation. Individual results vary.
The vein seals. The body reabsorbs.
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.
Start Your AssessmentHow Sclerotherapy Works
Minutes to treat. Weeks to fade.
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.
"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."
What Sclerotherapy Treats
A precision tool for small surface veins.
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.
"Here is where it works, and where something else is the right call."
Candidacy
Who this is for.
You're probably a great candidate if:
Sclerotherapy may be a fit if visible leg veins bother you and you are otherwise healthy. You have spider veins or small blue-green reticular veins on the thighs, calves, or ankles. You avoid shorts, skirts, or swimwear because of visible veins. You can wear compression stockings for a short period after treatment when advised. You want a provider who will refer you for a vein evaluation when the finding calls for it.
Let's talk first if:
You're pregnant or nursing, or have a history of blood clots (reviewed at consultation). 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.
"If this isn't the right tool, we'll say so."
A note from Melissa
Always Melissa. Pattern mapped before the first injection.
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. Her 20+ years of clinical and surgical experience mean your vein pattern is mapped before the first injection.
Why Aetheria
Measured, clinically planned.
Provider-performed
Your injections are performed by a PA-C, not handed off. Always Melissa.
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.
Your Sclerotherapy Visit
From first conversation to follow-up.
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.
What patients say
In their words.
Melissa did a wonderful job listening to my goals and helping me determine what services were right for me. She could have easily convinced me to do more, but she was honest and only suggested what I truly needed.
Had a wonderful consultation with the owner, Melissa. She took her time and walked me through all her services and answered my questions without trying to oversell me.
Common Questions
Straight answers.
What patients ask before booking.
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.
Want the deep dive? Read the complete sclerotherapy guide →
When you're ready.
Sclerotherapy at Aetheria is by consultation. We serve patients across Pittsburgh's North Hills, including Ross Township, Wexford, Cranberry Township, Sewickley, and Mars.