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What are Thread Veins?
Vein problems are a source of discomfort and can also significantly affect your self-esteem. Having these assessed and treated could be easier than you think.
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Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are dilated, tortuous veins in the legs. Vein problems are common and in addition to appearing unsightly they often cause symptoms such as discomfort, aching or heaviness. Treatment is directed at correcting the underlying cause of the veins and then treating the visible veins to achieve a good cosmetic result.
Find out more about varicose veins, their symptoms complications and treatments available.
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Thread Veins
Thread veins or spider veins are small blue, purple or red veins that are located just under the skin of the leg or ankle. Many people consult me as they find these unattractive and wish to improve the appearance of their legs. The most common treatment for these is micro-sclerotherapy – a very fine injection of a liquid into the veins.
Find out more about thread veins and treatments available.
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Simon Hobbs
I am a Consultant Vascular Surgeon and Clinical Service Lead at a leading Midlands vascular unit. I have a passionate interest and extensive experience in the treatment of venous disease. Every patient is different so I develop bespoke treatment plans, based on best practice, to ensure that the best possible results are achieved.
Find out more about Simon's professional background, training and clinical interests.
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What are thread veins?
Thread veins are small blue, purple or red veins that are located just under the skin surface and commonly affect the legs and ankles. They are also referred to as spider veins or broken veins. The medical terms for these veins are reticular veins and telangiectasia.
They are extremely common, affecting up to 80% of the population at some time in their life and affect both sexes equally. Thread veins can cause physical symptoms but it is often the psychological effects that have a greater impact on patient’s confidence and self-esteem.
What causes thread veins?
In the majority of cases, thread veins are associated with underlying problems of the deeper lying veins and are commonly associated with superficial venous reflux or varicose veins. The higher pressure in these ‘feeding’ veins is transmitted to the fine veins within the skin causing them to enlarge and become more visible over time.
Like varicose veins, thread veins also appear to have heredity component – many people I treat tell me that their mother suffered with similar problems with their legs. Thread veins become more common as you get older due to the natural ageing process of the skin. In addition, there is a link between thread veins and trauma to the leg, which in many cases may be a minor knock.
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Do thread veins cause symptoms?
Thread veins themselves do not usually cause physical symptoms although I am often told that a patch of thread veins ache or throb. In my experience this almost always points to a deeper seated feeder vein that is under higher pressure and therefore produces symptoms similar to that seen with varicose veins.
Most people who consult me with thread veins are simply unhappy with the cosmetic appearance of their leg and wish to have treatment to rejuvenate the appearance of their leg and to improve their confidence.
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How are thread veins diagnosed?
Thread veins are diagnosed relatively easily from a detailed clinical examination. A visual examination of the leg however will not tell me whether your thread veins have an underlying feeder vein or superficial venous reflux.
This is important as failure to appreciate and deal with these feeder veins, and simply focusing on treating the thread veins, often leads to disappointing results, higher rates of complications and a higher chance of the veins returning. This is the reason I advise people with thread veins to undergo a detailed ultrasound examination of the veins in the legs as it is common to pick up more deep seated problems including varicose veins.
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What treatments are available for thread veins?
A quick search through the internet will identify a large number of clinics offering a wide range of different treatments for thread veins with all claiming to offer good results – many of these clinics will make no attempt to assess the underlying cause of your thread veins.
Despite all the many treatments on offer for thread veins the only treatment that consistently produces excellent results is microsclerotherapy, performed in combination with treating the underlying feeding veins if required.
Please click on the link below to find out more about microsclerotherapy and the treatment of thread veins