Varicose Veins | Spider Veins | Information on Varicose Veins

Thread Vein Removal

Thread veins on the legs, commonly known as spider veins or, more correctly, telangiectasia are very common and can be very unsightly if rather prominent. They can occur at any site on the legs but are more common in ladies than men. Approximately 20% of 20 year old women have thread veins on the legs and 50% of 50 year olds. The veins vary in size, colour and type ranging from fine red ones to larger purple or deeper blue veins. They can cause significant cosmetic embarrassment and often interfere with the ability to wear short skirts in the summer months.

The reason why people develop thread veins on the legs is not fully understood but the known and most important causes include heredity, pregnancy and hormones and minor injuries. They can also be associated with varicose veins and follow on from varicose vein surgery.

Thread Veins Gallery

Thread veins are quite a complex problem in that there are different sizes of thread vein at different depths in the skin and different types of thread vein, which may or may not be associated with underlying varicose veins. In order to get the best results from treatment it is very important to have a proper assessment of the whole vein systems in the legs to determine whether or not there is any connection between the superficial thread veins and the deeper varicose veins. The importance of this is that if there is a connection which is not treated then there is a high pressure within the flow of blood in the thread veins and they are likely to recur following treatment. For this reason combination treatments for thread veins to include treatment of varicose veins and injection sclerotherapy of larger thread veins may be the best treatment option.

At Surgicare we specialise in the treatment of varicose veins and thread veins on the legs and have the facilities to carry out full Doppler assessment of the leg vein systems prior to recommending an individual treatment plan.

The laser energy is absorbed by the blood in the veins creating heat, which damages the lining of the blood vessel and causes the walls of the blood vessel to stick together and seal themselves off. The vein is then gradually absorbed by the body and disappears. Some types of thread veins respond better than others to treatment and more than one type of laser may be required to achieve the best results. Usually 2 or 3 treatments are adequate for any given area.

Microsclerotherapy is used to treat unwanted thread veins by injecting a non-toxic chemical through a very fine needle directly into the vein. This irritates the lining of the vein causing the walls to stick together and prevent blood flowing through the vessel. Over a period of time the blood vessel is gradually absorbed by the body and disappears. After several treatments a 50-90% improvement can be expected. In some cases a combination of sclerotherapy and laser treatment will provide the best results.

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