Many people suffer from thread or spider veins, a smaller type of vein similar to varicose veins. Thread veins tend to appear around the legs; however, they can also develop around the face and under the eyes.

In this blog post, we will be going through everything about thread veins so you know what to expect about the treatments available and the different types of thread veins.

What are thread veins?

Thread veins, also known as spider veins are red or blue small veins located in the surface of the skin, unlike varicose veins which tend to be bigger and are blue or purple. Thread veins usually appear around the legs on calves, thighs, and ankles and can also be present on the face, as facial veins or under eye thread veins. Many people tend to seek thread vein treatment for aesthetic reasons; however, having thread veins on the legs can mean a higher risk of underlying vein issues.

What are the causes of thread veins?

Thread or spider veins are veins whose valves have been damaged and no longer are able to return the blood to the lungs and heart. When the valves of the veins get damaged they can get enlarged and result in blood pooling, which can lead to the release of blood around the affected vein and cause staining. The main issue with thread veins is that the damaged veins can cause the veins around them to breakdown, further aggravating the issue.

When it comes to facial thread veins, these can be a result of a skin condition that affects the blood vessels known as Rosacea. Other reasons why thread veins may appear around the face could be due to excessive sun exposure and frequent sneezing or coughing.

Can my lifestyle be a cause of thread or spider veins?

Some lifestyle can certainly contribute to the appearance of thread or spider veins. For instance, people whose occupation requires standing or sitting for long periods of time tend to have a higher risk to suffer from thread veins. This is due to the lack of correct blood pump across the body when sitting.

Other conditions, such as genetics play a huge role when it comes to developing thread or spider veins, as this condition can be inherited if a member of your family suffers from them. Pregnancy or a high BMI can further be other contributors to the appearance of thread veins due to the increased blood volume and vein pressure.

What treatments are there available to treat thread veins?

There are several treatments available to treat thread or spider vein depending in your condition. Your surgeon will be able to advise which one would be the most suitable.

• Sclerotherapy or Micro-Sclerotherapy – Consists of injection of liquid sclerotherapy, a chemical irritant that causes the wall of the affected vein to collapse, so the blood can then be re-diverted causing the vein to disappear. This treatment is minimally invasive and there is very little downtime associated with it. Sclerotherapy is only suitable for thread veins on the legs.
• Cutera CoolGlide – This is a laser treatment which uses intense light to coagulate the blood within the affected veins to then divert it to other veins located deeper below the skin surface.  This treatment is able to remove the thread veins so they can be slowly absorbed by the body. The Cutera CoolGlide can be used all over the body including under eye veins.
• IPL or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy/Photorejuvenation is another alternative to treat thread veins on the skin which are formed due to skin conditions as Rosacea. The IPL treatment uses light diffusion to heat up the skin to remove and reduce the appearance of these types of veins. IPL is most effective on facial thread veins.

Why The Private Clinic for Spider Veins treatment

• The Private Clinic spider vein clinic has over 35 years of medical experience and are the UK’s leading authority in non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures.
• We have carried out over 7,000 procedures in treating Veins
• We specialise in minimally invasive treatments using the latest and most innovative methods available
• Thread vein treatmetns are performed by expert doctors, nurses and laser practitioners.
• We are one of a very few clinics within the industry to treat veins under the eyes.
• We are a UK centre of excellence for the minimally invasive treatment of veins.
• We provide the highest standard of clinical care and offer the latest technologies available in the industry.
• View our thread vein before and after result photos
• View our under eye thread vein before and after result photos
• Read our extensive thread vein FAQs
• Read our extensive facial thread vein FAQs
• Find out more information in our thread spider vein blogs
• Consultations for thread veins are available in London Harley Street, Birmingham, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton

Varicose Vein treatment at The Private Clinic

We are also able to treat Varicose Veins at our varicose veins clinics across the UK.

• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic London Harley Street
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Birmingham
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Bristol
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Leeds
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Manchester
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Northampton
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Bexhill
• Varicose vein and thread vein clinic Bournemouth

See our varicose vein treatment before and after photos, read our extensive varicose vein FAQs, view our varicose vein patient stories and find out more in our varicose veins blogs or download our varicose veins brochure.

The Private Clinic works with highly qualified vascular surgeons across the UK including:

• Mr Constantinos Kyriakides, MD, FRCS(Gen). GMC 3275436
• Mr Dynesh Rittoo, MBChB, FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Gen Surg). GMC 3556456
• Mr Charles Ranaboldo, BM, FRCS, MS. GMC Number: 2939195
• Professor Rajiv Kumar Vohra, MBBS. GMC Number: 3158700
• Mr Tahir Hussain, MBBS,MS, FRCS. GMC Number: 3242669
• Mr Rajiv Pathak, MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRCS(Gen). GMC Number: 4585309
• Mr Ferdinand Serracino-Inglott, MD, FRCSI, FRCS(Gen), DIC MSc. GMC Number: 5206200

To find out more about vein treatments or to book a consultation, call us on 0333 920 2471 or use our vein treatment online contact form.