A balance between patient comfort and safe injection technique must be struck. Needles are available in 30 gauge with bi- or tripoints, which some feel are sharper to begin with and less likely to become dull with repeated use. One should begin with small quantities of these products and find which perform the best in your office setting. Syringes are made of single use disposable plastic and sterilizable glass. Some sclerotherapists defend the use of glass, stating that one can better feel when the needle is inside the vein, and even if it is inside an artery.
Patients are, however, always concerned about reusable products.
Syringes come with either a centrally or eccentrically located hub. The eccentrically located hub places the needle closer to the skin for the shallow angle necessary for injection. Usually 1cc syringes are used for more concentrated sclerosant doses in large veins, and 3-5cc syringes are used for telangiectasias. The trapped blood may be aspirated or simply allowed to exit the needle tract with gentle massage. The larger caliber needles allow ready confirmation of intravenous needle placement in varicose veins.