THREAD VEINS

Thread veins are tiny dilated blood vessels near the skin surface. They look like fine red wiggly lines, or they can occasionally appear purple. The medical term for them is telangiectasia. Some people refer to them as ‘spider veins’.

WHAT CAUSES THREAD VEINS?

Unfortunately it is age and it is very likely all of us at some point in our lives will be subjected to them. Research suggests at least one in five women in their 20s will have a thread vein, a figure that rises to around half by the age of forty. Pregnancy can also speed up the process of developing these little red lines. Hormonal changes related to pregnancy and menopause promote their development. This is one of the reasons why women seem to get them over men. Family genetics also play a fundamental part in the problem. Other causes include too much sunbathing, exposure to wind, extreme temperatures, jobs that involve prolonged standing and medications, all of which can be factored in to why you may have them. Thread veins do not impose a health threat, but they can be a serious cosmetic problem.

HOW ARE THREAD VEINS TREATED?

There are various techniques aiming at the removal of thread veins. A laser works by firing a gentle burst of light at selected blood vessels beneath the skin. The relatively painless treatment increases the production of collagen and coagulates the blood inside the vein. Your body’s lymphatic system will then eliminate the treated vein over the next couple of weeks. Both mechanisms together make those vessels naturally disappear.
We recommend treatments at 4-8 week intervals, with the number of treatments depending on the size of the vein and how your skin reacts. Smaller veins respond more quickly to treatment, which takes between 5 and 30 minutes. Most veins can be permanently removed, but touch-ups once or twice a year can be required to maintain the results. Because it’s a non-surgical treatment you’ll be able to walk in and walk out of the clinic.
Veins wider than 3mm might require sclerotherapy. Please ask our team for details.

WHEN WILL I SEE RESULTS?

Because the treated veins need to be eliminated by your bodies lymphatic system it can take several weeks for the veins to disappear. A good indicator for successful treatment is the pressure test. A live vein fades under pressure. In a successfully treated vein no blood will move as it has set as a tiny clot. If you cannot make a thread vein disappear after treatment by pressing on it this shows it has been coagulated and will most likely disappear entirely after a couple of weeks.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Risks are very infrequent with these devices, but include the development of small pitted or linear scars and temporary skin discolouration.

DOES IT HURT?

The treatment causes only minimal discomfort. Any redness or swelling should be gone within a day and you’ll be able to resume normal activities immediately.

WHICH IS BETTER? LASER OR INTENSE PULSED LIGHT?

It is important to have a variety of options available when treating vascular problems. At Defyne Aesthetics Preston Clinic we use the 1064 long-pulsed NdYAg laser and the 735 Alexandrite laser. A choice of modalities greatly increases our chances of a successful outcome. Another point worth being aware of is that IPL systems come in different “strengths”. That means, they vary in how high the energies can be set to. Many of the IPLs in the non medical marketplace are not capable of reaching energies necessary to treat certain conditions adequately. However, they are certainly capable of causing scars and burns in untrained hands