It is estimated that about 15% of men and the majority of older women will be affected by thread veins at some point. Thread veins (otherwise known as red veins or spider veins) are dilated blood capillaries, mainly found in the legs and face. They look like small red or purple squiggles, visible through the skin.
Microsclerotherapy is effective in the treatment of spider veins. From the Greek word ‘scleros’, meaning ‘to make hard’, the treatment uses a very fine needle to inject a liquid into the vein, which subsequently becomes hard to the touch. This is then absorbed by the body, destroying the vein. The majority of patients report a significant reduction in the appearance of thread veins.
In the hours following the procedure, redness and minor swelling may appear at the injection sites. A temporary itching may also occur. Longer lasting side effects can include bruising or brown pigmentation at the area treated, caused by a break down in red blood cells.
The risk of serious side effects is extremely low. Despite the small risks associated with the treatment, microsclerotherapy remains to be one of the safest and most effective ways to treat thread veins.
The number of treatments greatly depends on the severity of the thread veins. Your physician will create a personalised plan for you.
Most patients see improvements after approximately four weeks, yet the full effect of the treatment may not be seen for up to two to three months.
Thread veins, commonly known as spider veins, are small, flat lines that appear through the skin in a web-like pattern. They are red, blue or purple in colour and do not normally cause any pain.
Veins are an important part of our circulatory system. They carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart, ready to be resupplied with oxygen. This process happens automatically. The only time we give...
Thread veins are probably something you had never thought about – not until you noticed them appear on your body. The marks, commonly referred to as spider veins, are actually dilated capillaries...
