Whichever way you look at it, there’s nothing attractive about thread veins. They’re an unwelcome and unsightly addition to any face and can leave sufferers looking older than they are, as well as permanently flushed.
Whilst they’re not particularly attractive, thread veins aren’t dangerous, but they do tend to become larger and increase in number over time. Covering them up can be a real chore, and also extremely difficult for the larger, purplish variety, so today we’ve taken a look at the best ways to get rid of these irritating facial blemishes.
What are thread veins?
Thread veins are small, dilated blood vessels which run close to the surface of the skin. They look like fine red or purple lines and most often appear on the face and the legs. Also known as ‘spider’ or ‘broken’ veins, the medical term for them is telangiectasia and they occur in about half of all adults in Western countries, according to The British Vein Institute.
What causes them?
Whilst there’s no obvious cause of thread veins, they develop as we age and our blood vessels become less elastic. In addition to this, hormonal changes that occur throughout pregnancy and menopause are also a contributing factor, and it’s for this reason that women are more prone to them than men. A tendency to get thread veins can also run in families.
Other factors that seem to cause and worsen thread veins include too much sunbathing, exposure to extreme temperatures, alcohol, smoking and certain medications.
What can be done about them?
If you’re only just beginning to see thread veins across your nose and cheeks, then covering them up is a viable option. Using a good camouflage cream concealer under your make up can help improve their appearance significantly, and these are usually thicker than normal concealer and waterproof. Visit a pharmacist or cosmetic counter for a consultation to match your skin tone to ensure that you get the best coverage possible.
As previously mentioned, thread veins tend to worsen once they’ve begun to appear, so concealing them may not remain an option for long. To prevent their worsening too quickly, avoid alcoholic and very hot drinks, as well as spicy foods which can make them appear more obvious.
Laser therapy for thread vein removal
The cosmetic procedure that works effectively for thread vein removal in the face is laser therapy, although sclerotherapy is more suited to the larger thread veins that appear elsewhere in the body.
Laser therapy is non-invasive, and uses brief pulses of light to destroy the dilated blood vessels underneath the skin with heat, a process called photothermolysis. As it only targets the damaged veins, the surrounding areas are left unaffected, and the treatment usually results in healthy, vein-free skin.
It’s not a particularly painful procedure, and has been likened to snapping elastic bands on the surface of the skin. Usually, those suffering with facial thread veins will require three to four laser treatments for the procedure to work most effectively, and recurrence of the problem is unusual. After effects can include slight bruising and swelling in the area, but this usually clears up within a few days.
For more information on Laser Therapy take a look at our information page.
Save Face
Laser therapy is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure that should always be carried out by a suitably qualified practitioner.
Using the Save Face search engine to find a Save Face Accredited practitioner is a great way to ensure that the person performing your treatment is able to do so safely, in an appropriate environment, using safe products. Each and every Save Face Accredited practitioner has been assessed against a strict set of standards to help protect the consumer from unsafe, unethical and unprofessional practice, so use Save Face today to ensure that you end up in safe hands.
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