One of the tell tale signs of ageing are the dreaded Thread Veins more commonly known as Spider Veins ?
Telangiectasia Varicose Veins are small clusters of blue or red veins that sometimes appear on your face or legs; they’re harmless and, unlike trunk varicose veins, do not bulge underneath the surface of the skin.
Thread veins are most commonly found in women (of course!) they appear most often in or around pregnancy and Menopause (of course!) this is because of hormonal imbalance, fatigue and excess pressure in the face due to forceful coughing, sneezing, vomiting. Some women may get spider veins on their face after pushing during childbirth.
Other causes include:
- Pregnancy – Increased blood moving through the body in addition to the extra weight of the baby places more pressure on leg veins during pregnancy. Some women notice that spider veins disappear after pregnancy, but they can be permanent.
- Weight gain – Extra body weight can place added pressure on the veins.
- Hormones – Hormonal birth control and hormonal treatments for menopause may increase the risk of spider veins because estrogen can weaken vein valves.
- Sitting or standing for extended periods: Veins in the legs have to work harder to pump blood up toward the heart when a person remains in the same position for several hours at a time.
- Genetics: Up to 90 percent of people with spider veins have a family history of them.
- Previous blood clot or vein damage: This can damage the valves and make them unable to work properly.
- Ageing – The valves in veins tend to get weaker over time. The calf muscles, which help support the veins in the legs and enable them to pump blood upward, may also lose some of their strength as a person ages. pressure in the face.
- Sun damage – UV light from the sun can damage the skin and cause broken blood vessels or spider veins, especially on the face.
So What can we do about Thread veins?
Prevention is always better than cure!
Certain lifestyle changes and self-care tips can help prevent new spider veins appearing or stop existing ones from getting worse. These include:
- Sun protection – Applying sunscreen every day can help prevent some spider veins, particularly on the face. Wear hats and clothing when outdoors for extended periods.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. This helps reduce pressure on the veins and keeps blood flowing well
- Avoiding the overuse of hot tubs and saunas. Excessive heat can cause veins to swell, increasing the risk of dilated and bulging veins in the legs.
- Limiting alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol can cause flushing in the face and broken blood vessels in some people.
- Getting regular exercise. Physical activity can help improve circulation and prevent blood from pooling in the legs.
- Seeing a dermatologist. People with skin conditions that can increase the risk of spider veins, such as rosacea, may want to consider seeing a doctor or dermatologist to discuss treatment options.
Treatments That Reduce Thread Veins
- Concealer products -If the appearance of spider veins is a concern, people can often use body or leg makeup to mask or minimize them temporarily. Self-tanning products can also work for this purpose.
- Laser & IPL treat spider veins that are smaller than 3 millimeters and close to the surface of the skin. The laser is a strong, focused beam of light that is attracted to dark colours. The light damages the tiny vessels causing the blood to clot and dry up, within a few sessions the vessel disappears forever!
Laser treatments are less invasive than sclerotherapy or closure system because there is no injection.
I have invested in a Medical grade IPL machine by award winning Lynton Lasers. Favoured by NHS the Lumina is one of the best British designed and built machines available.
If you would like more information click the link…