- Facial Thread Vein treatments are a walk in, walk out procedure with minimal aftercare required
- We have performed over 7,000 vein treatments
- See an improvement after the first treatment
What’s on this page
- About this Treatment
- Before & Afters
- What to Expect
- FAQs
- Our Clinics
- Why the Private Clinic
- Related Blogs & News
Medically reviewed by Lorcan Sheppard BSc MBBS FRCA, Chief Medical Officer for The Private Clinic.
Last Reviewed February 28th 2024
Related treatments
Facial Thread Veins
Facial veins are very common as there are many different causes from genetics to sun exposure. Although thread veins are not usually dangerous they can be an unsightly concern for those affected.
Facial veins are usually thread veins which can also be referred to as spider veins, broken blood vessels, broken capillaries, facial telangiectasia and rosacea veins. They are usually no cause for medical concern but can leave patients feeling self-conscious and less confident about their appearance. Facial thread veins are red, blue or purple in colour and can appear all over the face but most commonly on the cheeks, chin, around the nose and under the eyes.
Thread veins on the face are typically broken blood vessels that have become more noticeable.
What causes veins on the face?
- Genetics – Some patients unfortunately are just predisposed to developing facial thread veins, especially if they notice other members of their family having them.
- Age – As patients age, their skin becomes thinner and starts to loose elasticity which can cause veins to become more noticeable under the surface of the skin.
- Rosacea – Patients who have rosacea may find themselves more susceptible to developing facial thread veins as their skin is often red and flushed due to enlarged veins.
- Illness – Sudden changes in pressure such as sneezing, blowing your nose or vomiting can also cause small broken blood vessels to appear so if you have been unwell recently this may indirectly be the cause.
- Sun Exposure – Excessive exposure to the sun can cause free radical damage resulting in the blood vessels in your face to becoming enlarged which makes them more noticeable from the surface of your skin.
- Environment – Exposing your skin to certain chemicals or environmental pollutants may damage the skin’s surface which can make thread veins more visible.
- Temperature Changes – A sudden change in temperature may have an impact on your circulation. Some patients may notice their face being flushed which can result in blood vessels bursting causing a spider vein to appear.
- Trauma – Bruising after an injury can cause broken blood vessels however these often heal and disappear along with the bruised skin.
- Lifestyle – Lifestyle changes can include not exercising enough or exercising too much and suffering from too much stress. Eyestrain and insomnia can also result in spider vein formation on the face.
- Pregnancy – Hormonal changes in the body may cause broken blood vessels to appear close to the surface of the skin. In most instances, these thread veins will disappear after giving birth.
- Alcohol – Excessive or frequent alcohol consumption can lead to long-lasting blood vessel damage which can cause spider veins and redness to appear on the face.
The Private Clinic is a UK centre of excellence for the minimally invasive treatment of veins. Whether you suffer from varicose veins, facial veins, spider veins or thread veins on legs, we provide the highest standard of clinical care and the latest technologies available in the industry. The Private Clinic has carried out over 7,000 procedures in treating Veins.
Ask us a question
Facial Thread Veins Before & After Photos
We are one of the UK’s centres of excellence for minimally invasive treatments for vein problems. We pride ourselves on delivering excellent results and aftercare in Vein procedures. See our before and after facial thread vein photos from our specialist vascular surgeons below. The best option is to book a consultation to discuss the best procedure for you and to see more before and after photos for vein removal.
What to Expect
The Private Clinic has been treating patients for over 40 years with thousands of people placing their trust in us each year. We pride ourselves on being able to offer a personalised service. We have a team of friendly nurses and expert surgeons who understand the importance of this decision and will support you throughout your journey with us.
Facial Thread Veins Treatment
We have a couple of different treatment options for facial thread veins here at The Private Clinic. All treatments are non-surgical, minimally invasive and don’t require a huge downtime.
IPL Photo Rejuvenation
Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is a non-invasive skin treatment that uses IPL technology to help improve and reduce the appearance of facial thread veins. The advanced technology advanced technology allow us to customise treatments for different skin tones and conditions.
- The treatments begins with a quick cleanse of the skin before protective eyewear is placed over the eyes to protect them from the light.
- The IPL hand piece will then be gently placed onto the skin where it will emit an intense pulsed light.
- This light works to heat up the vein causing the vein to then collapse and be naturally absorbed by the body.
- IPL devices can produce different types of pulsed light making it an ideal treatment for different variations of facial veins.
- IPL only affects the lower layers of the skin allowing it to reach the spider veins without causing damage to the surface of the skin.
- IPL also has an added benefit for pigmentation and sun spots, giving an overall rejuvenated appearance to the face.
Cutera CoolGlide / ND YAG
Cutera CoolGlide is a non-invasive laser treatment also known as ND YAG that can be used to treat individual veins on the face or legs.
- The treatment will begin with cleansing the face and then protective eyewear will be placed over the eyes.
- The CoolGlide hand piece will be passed over the skin delivering pulses of light energy over the skin which causes the blood in the thread veins to coagulate resulting in the vessel closing.
- Once closed, the thread vein will then be re-absorbed by the body and blood is redirected to deeper veins where it will not be visible.
After Facial Thread Vein Treatment
Improvements will be seen a week after each IPL treatment but the best results are seen 3-5 months after your last treatment. We recommend that patients have a course of 5 IPL treatments spaced 4 weeks apart.
Most patients start to see an improvement in the appearance of their facial veins within 2-6 weeks after Cutera CoolGlide treatment but the final results may take 3-5 months to be fully seen. The number of treatments required will depend on the amount, size and colour of the veins being treated but we usually recommend, 3 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart
You may notice a little redness and in rare cases, bruising on the skin near the treated spider veins after IPL or Cutera CoolGlide treatment this should fade within week. Following IPL the skin can be a little swollen this will subside within the first 48 hours. You will need to avoid sun exposure for 3-4 weeks by using a high SPF sunscreen.
FAQs
Red veins on your face are usually thread or spider veins. Thread / Spider veins are broken blood vessels on the face that appear just under the surface of the skin. There are a number of reasons why these have appeared which includes; sun damage, rosacea, alcohol consumption, genetics, illness, injury, hormones and genetics.
To find out more about red veins on the face visit us for a consultation with one of our facial vein experts.
Our facial vein treatments can effectively remove small facial veins such as thread veins, spider veins and telangiectasia.
We use IPL or Cutera CoolGlide / ND YAG laser treatments to treat facial thread veins.
To find out if you are suitable for thread vein treatment visit us for a free consultation.
Spider veins on the face are caused by broken blood vessels. Depending on what caused these broken blood vessels will determine if facial veins will go away without treatment. Usually if you notice facial veins after you have experienced an injury or have been unwell then they are likely to disappear over time. If you are prone to developing facial veins, they run in your family or you have had them for a long period of time then it is likely that you will need to seek treatment in order for them to go away.
To find out if you need facial vein treatment why not book a consultation with one of our experts who will be able to give you advise on the best treatment for you.
Generally, facial thread veins are not dangerous and in some cases they even disappear on their own. However, they can sometimes signify a more severe medical condition such as;
Bloom Syndrome
Ataxia Talengiectasia
Spider Angioma
Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP)
Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome / Hereditary Hemorrhagic telangiecastia (HHT)
Port-wine Stain
Sturge-Weber Syndrome (SWS)
Liver Disease
Roscaea
In most cases, these conditions will have a variety of other symptoms and you should visit your GP should you believe that none of the common causes we have mentioned have resulted in the appearance of your facial thread veins.
In the vast majority of cases, facial thread veins are not dangerous and patients only seek removal for cosmetic purposes. Thread vein treatment is not actively available on the NHS so you will need to seek private treatment instead.
Patients will need to attend a consultation with one of our facial vein experts to determine if they are suitable for treatment. During this consultation your faical vein expert will go through your medical history and examine the areas which you wish to be treated. If suitable for treatment you will need to have a patch test before booking a treatment appointment. We also advise that patients must not be tanned which includes fake tan and that they should avoid using any exfoliators, retinols or fruit acids 5-7 days before their treatment.
IPL Photorejuvenation uses an intense pulsed light which is passed over the skin heating the blood vessels beneath the skin. Heating the blood vessels in this way results in them reducing in size. The intense pulsed light targets the feeder part of the vein which works to constrict the capillaries and coagulate the blood inside the vessel. Some veins will disappear straight away but some may instead change colour before being gradually re-absorbed into the body.
Book a free consultation to find out more about IPL treatment for facial thread veins.
The Cutera CoolGlide treatment uses laser wavelengths to target thread veins on the face. The pulses of light energy cause the blood within the veins to coagulate which causes the vessel to become destroyed and is then reabsorbed by the body.
Book a free consultation to find out more about Cutera CoolGlide treatment for facial thread veins.
Facial vein treatment with the Cutera CoolGlide or IPL has been described as the feeling of tiny pin pricks or an elastic band being snapped against the skin. The vast majority of our patients find treatment to be very tolerable. A patch test is a great way to determine if you would be able to tolerate the treatment.
Both IPL and Cutera CoolGlide treatments are designed to permanently treat each vein however if you are prone to developing veins then the treatments are unable to stop this happening. The treatments can be performed again on any new veins that appear.
Overall, the amount of treatments that you will need to treat facial thread veins will depend on the severity and amount of veins you have to be treated.
For IPL Photorejuenation treatment we usually recommend that patients have a course of 5 treatments spaced 4 weeks apart. For Cutera CoolGlide treatment we recommend 3 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart.
To find out more about facial thread vein treatments visit us for a free consultation.
We recommend that patients avoid excessive heat including hot baths/showers, saunas and steam rooms for 48 hours post treatment. Exercise including swimming should also be avoided for 48 hours. Sun exposure should be limited for at least 2-3 weeks post treatment and protection should be used in the months following your facial vein procedures. Patients should also avoid using perfumed creams or products on the skin for 48 hours and exfoliators, retinols and fruit acids should be avoided for a week post-treatment.
At The Private Clinic we recommend wearing a good quality mineral makeup post treatment as the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide commonly found in many types of mineral make-up will help to soothe and calm the skin.
Spider veins or thread veins on the face are broken blood vessels that have become dilated and more noticeable. There are a number of different causes as to why facial spider / thread veins have developed which include; injury, sun damage, hormonal changes, pregnancy, topical irritants, genetics, ageing, pregnancy and excessive alcohol consumption.
Laser treatments are a great way to treat facial spider veins. The lasers target the blood vessels causing them to become smaller and gradually fade of the course of a week or two. The laser does not damage the surface of the skin meaning patients do not experience downtime or require time off work. To find out more about facial spider vein treatment book a consultation to speak to one of our experts.
here are presentations you can take to try and avoid developing facial thread veins. These include;
Regular Exercise – This helps to improve your circulation and vein strength.
Avoid extreme heat – Washing your face with hot water, saunas and hot weather can increase your risk of broken blood vessels. Try to turn down the heat in your shower and limit your time in spas/saunas.
Sun Protection – Protecting your skin from the sun is one of the best ways to avoid facial veins. Excess sun or heat exposure can cause broken blood vessels, be sure to use SPF protection and using a simple cold compress after heat exposure can reduce the appearance of burst blood vessels.
Avoid Vasodilators – Vasodilaters encourage vessels to fill with blood which can make spider veins more noticeable. Common examples of vasodilaters are caffeine, spicy food and alcohol
Facial Thread Vein Treatment with Regenlite
- Regenlite Small Area – From £200
- Regenlite Small Area Course of 5 – From £540
- Regenlite Large Area – From £350
- Regenlite Large Area Course of 5 – From £1134
Facial thread vein treatment with Intense Pulsed Light treatment (IPL)
- IPL Full Face – From £230
- IPL Full Face Course of 5 – From £920
- IPL Half Face – From £173
- IPL Half Face Course of 5 – From £690
Facial thread vein treatment Cutera CoolGlide / ND YAG
- Small area – £309
- Small area course of 3 – £625
- Large area – £549
- Large area course of 3 – £1250
Prices for Facial thread vein treatment will vary if a longer or shorter session is needed.
For a more accurate quote, visit us for a free consultation with one of our facial thread vein experts.
The Private Clinic has clinics nationwide so we are sure to have an facial thread vein treatment clinic located near to you however treatment offerings may vary between clinics.
Where can I get facial thread vein treatment in London?
London – 98 Harley street, W1G7HZ
Where can I get facial thread vein treatment in Manchester?
Manchester – 25 St John Street, M3 4DT
Where can I get facial thread vein treatment in Birmingham?
Birmingham – 88 Hagley Road, B16 8LU – West Midlands
Where can I get facial thread vein treatment in Leeds?
Leeds – 45 Park Square North, LS1 2NP – Yorkshire
Where can I get facial thread vein treatment in Buckinghamshire?
Buckinghamshire – 84 Rogers Ln, Stoke Poges, Slough SL2 4LF – South East England
To find out more about booking a consultation at a clinic near you, contact us here.
facial thread vein treatment is Available in these Clinics
Why Choose The Private Clinic
- Expert medical practitioners with years of experience.
- We have state of the art medical facilities, all registered by the CQC (Care Quality Commission).
- Our innovative treatment choice means you will be offered the most advanced minimally invasive treatment options.
- When it comes to non surgical treatments we always strive to give you little to no downtime, so you can get back to enjoying life.
