Is sclerotherapy worth the cost?
Published on May 18, 2015 by Nu Vela Laser and Vein CenterHere’s how it goes during my typical consultation regarding spider or blue vein treatments:
The patient fills out a medical history questionnaire. I sit down and get to know her a bit — review her history, look over the condition of her legs, try to understand her desires and goals in seeking Sclerotherapy for vein treatment.
I explain in some detail what the procedure entails — injecting the veins with a special solution to shut them down (sclerotherapy): How things will go over the course of the treatment and what results can be expected. We review some before-and-after photos of similar patients from our own vein practice.
Then always comes one of the most important questions from the patient’s perspective: How much? What is the cost of sclerotherapy treatment?
How do I answer this question? One could talk purely in terms of money — a few hundred dollars in simple cases, to multiples of that in complex ones. Naturally, I try to give the patient my best estimate.
And yet, as I discuss money with clients, what I hope to share with them is the value — the return in terms of quality of their lives.
How much will treatment improve a patient’s psychological well-being, her self-image, her confidence in personal and social relationships? How about in public life, the business world, in corporate life?
Consider this: When I ask patients to bring a pair of shorts to wear during a sclerotherapy session, one frequent response is, “What shorts? I haven’t worn them for 20 years. … ”
That gives me serious pause. Think about the social and psychological pressures a woman must have endured for so long, feeling forced to hide her legs from public view — being deprived of some of the pleasures of her femininity. Surrendering the freedom to dress appropriately for her age and even her sex.
Legs before and after sclerotherapy at Nu Vela.
How much value, then, can you attach to restoring a woman to full confidence in herself as a desirable and attractive member of the female sex — especially one who lives in Southern California, a society obsessed with youthful looks and healthful living?
Let’s compare that with the value of purchasing another set of handbags and shoes. Or the latest electronic gadget.
When discussed in this context, most patients appreciate and understand the true value of the vein treatment services we provide.
New patients always are interested in others’ experiences, so I often share transformative anecdotes, of which we at Nu Vela Vein Center have so many. The spillover effect of the restored look of the legs. How many of our clients become enthusiastic about their looks and go on to exercise regularly, lose weight, tone their legs. To enjoy more outgoing, healthful lifestyles.
That’s bang for your buck.