Thread veins
Thread or spider veins happen when blockages occur in your bloodstream. Pressure building up behind the blockage causes tiny ruptures in the veins and arteries and blood leaks into new channels just below the surface of the skin, producing a visible network of veins on the surface itself.
They are not a serious medical condition but their 'starburst' effect is not a pretty sight and suggests early ageing and perhaps too much smoking and drinking.
Treatment can be in one of two ways. For the face, Intense Pulsed Light treatment is normally used though if your problem is severe the Cosmetic Specialist may recommend sclerotherapy. For the legs, sclerotherapy is the normal treatment.
Intense Pulsed Light treatment (IPL)
The therapist directs a thin beam of high-intensity light at the veins. This passes through the skin, without damaging it, to precisely target the veins.
The Intense Pulsed Light equipment can produce light in a number of different frequencies and the therapist will choose the one that is best for you – for example, one type frequency affects the skin, another type has no affect on the skin but does affect the veins beneath it. It is the latter which is used for spider vein removal.
The beam causes the vein to clog, cease functioning and break down. The body then identifies the vein as waste material and disposes of it via the lymphatic drainage system (the body’s waste disposal system).
Many patients describe the sensation as being like the snap of a rubber band as the beam strikes the vein. Most people find this easily bearable.
There is usually no pain after the treatment session is finished though there can occasionally be a small amount of redness and, in very rare cases, a little blistering, bruising or swelling. This can normally easily be covered up with make-up and soon fades.
Treatment normally takes 30-60 minutes and one to three treatments are needed. Leg veins generally require more treatment than facial veins.
Afterwards it is important to screen the affected area from the sun’s rays for some weeks.
Spider veins which have been eliminated will rarely reappear. However, new veins can appear in other places if the underlying causes persist and you may need treatment for these.
Sclerotherapy
This is for more severe cases of spider veins. Our cosmetic specialist will gently inject a special solution called scleremo into the affected veins which again leads to them being broken down and eliminated from the body.
The network of red veins at first becomes pronounced and your skin may swell a little though there is normally no pain – then the redness will begin to fade until it completely disappears. Often, one treatment is enough.
As with laser treatment, you will be glad to know that once the starburst has been eliminated, the veins will never return. However, if you are prone to them, spider veins can develop which will require further treatment.
You may find the information on these pages useful Intense pulsed light (IPL), Sclerotherapy.
Causes of thread veins
Thread veins can be caused by too much exposure to the sun over the years.
They may also be inherited. They can sometimes be a sign of rosacea, a
skin condition. They can result from overuse of steroid creams.
They tend to become more obvious after mid-life, when the skin becomes thinner and loses some of its collagen.
Hormones also play a role. The hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can cause the development of varicose or spider veins and so can taking oestrogens, progesterone, and birth control pills.
Other factors that weaken vein valves and may cause varicose or spider veins include ageing, obesity, leg injury, and prolonged standing, such as for long hours in a job.
Spider veins on the cheeks or nose of a fair-skinned person may occur from excessive sun exposure.