Thread veins are broken blood vessels on the face that occur beneath the surface of the skin. They are usually red or blue in colour and can take on a web-shaped appearance which is why they are often referred to as spider veins.

What causes facial thread veins?

There are a number of reasons why you may have developed facial thread veins which includes:

• Genetics
• Pregnancy
• Rosacea
• Illness (excessive blowing of the nose, vomiting)
• Trauma
• Sun Damage
• Environmental Irritants (Exposure to chemicals or pollutants)
• Frequent alcohol consumption
• Age
• Lifestyle (stress, lack of sleep)
• Temperature change

How do you get rid of thread veins on your face?

How to treat facial thread veins?

We offer a variety of thread vein treatments at our expert vein clinics. We are able to treat thread veins on the legs, face and under the eyes.

Treatment options that can help to treat facial thread veins include:

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Photorejuvenation

• What is it? IPL is a non-invasive skin treatment that can help to improve and reduce the appearance of blue facial thread veins with the use of advanced IPL technology. The treatment can be customised to suit all skin types and conditions.
• How does it work? The heat of the intense pulsed light heats up the vein which causes it to collapse. The vein is then naturally absorbed by the body. This will then disappear from view on the surface of the skin if the treatment has been successful.
• Is there any downtime? The skin may appear red and swollen for the initial 24 hours following treatment but otherwise no significant downtime. Patients are expected to avoid sun exposure for 3-4 weeks following treatment.
• When will I see results? The best results are seen 3-5 months after a course of 5 IPL treatments which will be spaced 4 weeks apart.

Cutera CoolGlide

• What is it? Cutera CoolGlide is a non-invasive laser treatment that is also known as ND YAG. It can be used to treat thread veins on the face, including veins under the eyes and also thread veins on the legs.
• How does it work? The pulses of light energy cause the blood within the thread veins to coagulate which causes the vessel to close. Once the thread vein vessel is closed, it will be re-absorbed by the body and the blood is re-routed to veins located deeper under the skin.
• Is there any downtime? The skin may be red in the hours following treatment and bruising can sometimes occur. You will need to avoid sun exposure for 3-4 weeks and use a high SPF sunscreen on the areas treated.
• When will I see results? Many patients begin to see an improvement in the appearance of facial veins 2-6 weeks after treatment, but the final results can take 3-5 months to be seen. The amount of treatments required will vary between patients but in most cases, we recommend 3 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart.

Regenlite

• What is it? Regenlite is a pulsed dye laser treatment also known as nlite. It is used to treat thread veins on the face and legs.
• How does it work? A high energy beam effectively targets and destroys only the blood vessels causing the blemishes without affecting the surrounding skin. This causes the thread veins to close and redness is reduced.
• Is there any downtime? Sensitivity or redness may be present in the area treated for at least 24 hours following treatment.
• When will I see results? You may notice an instant reduction in the thread veins, however there will be a recovery period whilst the vein is naturally broken down and absorbed by the body. The best results are typically seen 3-4 months following treatment.

How do you treat leg thread veins?

For thread veins that are not on the face, we also offer sclerotherapy treatment.

Microscelerotherapy

• What is it? MicroSclerotherapy is an injectable treatment where a sclerosing agent is injected into the veins being targeted.
• How does it work? The sclerosing agent helps to seal the blood vessels which results in the blood leaving the vein and the vein being naturally absorbed by the body. The blood is re-directed to veins located deeper under the skin.
• Is there any downtime? The area treated following treatment may appear red and irritated and in some cases bruising may occur. Patients are required to wear compression stockings and the treated areas must be kept out of the sun for 6 weeks following treatment.
• When will I see results? Patients often notice that small thread veins appear reduced after 3-6 weeks, but larger thread veins may take 3-4 months before results are seen. Multiple treatments may also be required in order to achieve the most effective result.

Can broken capillaries on the face go away?

In some cases, broken capillaries on the face may heal on their own but generally, if they have not cleared up within 3-6 months then they are likely to need further treatment. If you are visited your GP about broken capillaries on the face they may have prescribed or suggested a topical retinoid cream which can help to reduce the visibility of the veins but this is often only a short term fix and you will need to apply the cream every day to maintain the results.

The best way to treat broken capillaries or spider veins on the face is to have them professionally treated with IPL treatment or NG YAG laser treatment.
There are also a variety of ways you can prevent broken capillaries from occurring on the face such as;

• Wearing sun protection
• Not over exfoliating
• Only washing your face with lukewarm water
• Get plenty of Vitamin C

The Private Clinic thread or spider vein treatments

The Private Clinic has an excellent track-record on removing thread or spider veins providing minimally invasive treatments utilising the latest technologies.

• The Private Clinic Spider Vein Clinic has over 40 years of medical experience and are the UK’s leading authority in non-invasive and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures.
• We have carried out over 7,000 procedures in treating Veins.
• We specialise in minimally invasive treatments using the latest and most innovative methods available.
• Thread vein treatments are performed by expert doctors, nurses and laser practitioners.
• We are one of a very few clinics within the industry to treat veins under the eyes.
• We are a UK centre of excellence for the minimally invasive treatment of veins.
• We provide the highest standard of clinical care and offer the latest technologies available in the industry.
• We also offer varicose vein treatment in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Northampton.

Useful links

• View our thread vein before and after result photos.
• View our under eye thread vein before and after result photos.
• Read our extensive thread vein FAQs.
• Read our extensive facial thread vein FAQs.
• Find out more information in our thread spider vein blogs.

Book a consultation

To find out more about facial thread vein treatment at The Private Clinic or to book a consultation, please contact us on 0333 920 2471 or use our facial thread vein online contact form.
Facial Thread vein removal treatment is available at our London Harley Street, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester