Thread veins are extremely common and often embarrassing. They are very commonly found on the legs and often referred to as thread veins or spider veins. They can look unsightly and appear over the whole of the legs. The appearance often affects what people wear and ladies will often wear long trousers even in the summer to cover them up.
Thread veins are different to varicose veins which are larger and palpable. you can feel varicose veins in the skin. Varicose veins can signify an underlying problem with the venous pump in the legs and disease of the veins or the valves. This may require surgical treatment. Varicose veins can also lead to additional problems in the skin including eczema, pigmentation and sometimes ulceration. However, thread veins are not considered to be a medical problem, only affecting the superficial veins, and it is more of a cosmetic concern.
The actual cause of thread veins is unknown, although it is believed to be partly genetic and partly due to other factors. Other Factors include prolonged standing, sunlight exposure, hormones and alcohol. However, some people develop a lot more than others. The gold standard treatment for thread veins is by injecting a sclerosant (sclerotherapy) into the vein to dry and break down the vein wall and thereby get rid of it. Sclerotherapy remains the best treatment for many years and is considered safe and effective.
