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Blemishes

Best Treatment for thread veins.

What’s the best treatment for Thread Veins?

Do you suffer from little red veins on your face? You’re probably asking what’s the best treatment for thread veins? Or will they disappear on their own?

Firstly if your thread veins have been around for 6 months of more, then they’re not likely to go by themselves. So you’re next option is to have them removed with a professional treatment. Here are your options:

IPL or Laser Treatment

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or Laser is an excellent treatment for thread vein removal. For thread veins on the face, then IPL works brilliantly well.  If the veins are very superficial, so by that I mean they are very visible at the top of the skin, IPL is perfect.

If they sit a bit deeper in the skin, which sometimes happens around the nose, then Laser is sometimes better.  The reason for this is that Laser light can reach deeper into the skin than IPL.

They both work the same way, it’s just that the light used is different. Both Laser and IPL use a beam of light which is flashed into the skin at the thread vein.  The red blood absorbs the light and causes a heating effect, which then coagulates (breaks down) the blood vessel.  It’s your body’s own immune system which then mops up the particles left over.

Following IPL or Laser expect a little redness and maybe slight swelling, but these tend to disappear within hours.  If you have widespread veins to treat then you may be looking at approximately 2 days for redness or swelling to go down.

Advanced Electrolysis

Advanced Electrolysis is a tried and tested method for the treatment of thread veins. It removes thread veins with an electrical current. A very small hot sterile needle is placed on the skin over the thread vein, and the current heats up the broken veins and causes them to cauterise (similar to IPL).  This process is called Diathermy.

Another technique used in Advanced Electrolysis is where the needle is actually inserted into the vein itself, especially if the vein is deeper or more widespread. This is called ‘Blend’ and it causes the vein to collapse and disappear.

In both cases the body removes what’s left over. Following Advanced Electrolysis expect some mild redness and slight swelling which will quickly disappear.  You may also get some slight scabbing.

Thermavein and Veinwave

Newer treatments for thread veins include Thermavein and Veinwave.  They use the same principles and techniques of advanced Electrolysis, but they are just machines which are branded.

They both use a sterile needle which heats up and coagulates the blood vessel in a very similar way to Advanced Electrolysis. However the electrical current used is slightly different, and in some way less aggressive to the skin.  These systems do not insert the needle so are not as effective on deeper or more widespread veins.  IPL, Laser or Advanced Electrolysis are better options.

FOR THE BODY

In this article I’ve focused mainly on the treatment of thread veins on the face.  However just a quick mention about veins on the body. This is a very different matter.  The vessels sit deeper in the skin and need a different approach.

Laser (not IPL) is the only method I’ve already mentioned which is suitable.  I have had very good success with an ND Yag laser which works by heating up the vessels and causes them to collapse in and get removed by your body.

Another option is Sclerotherapy, which involves inserting a small needle into the vein and injecting fluid.  This causes tiny damage to the cells and makes the vein collapse and close.

CONCLUSION

All methods can require more than 1 session, but it really depends on how mild or severe the thread veins are in the first place. IPL and Laser involve flashes of light, whereas Advanced Electrolysis uses a needle which is either placed on the skin or inserted into the skin. Thermavein and Veinwave are machines which use the same principles of Advanced Electrolysis but the needle is placed onto skin (not inserted).

While all methods can be successful, for more problematic, deeper or widespread veins, IPL, Laser or Advanced Electrolyis will achieve better results.

Whichever method you choose I’d recommend seeing someone with experience in their field.  Thread vein removal can be very straight forward – but if only if the aesthetician knows how!

Here are some recommendations for experienced practitioners who I know of in various areas of the UK. In no particular order:

Suffolk: Mandy Painting – www.beautygallerylavenham.co.uk

South West (near Bath): Kay Cooper – www.kaycooper.co.uk

Manchester: Lucie Grech – www.laserloungemediacity.co.uk

Southampton: Jacqueline Kenny – www.pureholisticbeauty.com

If you have any questions about the best treatment for thread veins, feel free to get in touch with me at: rach@radiantliving.co.uk. Or if you’re in my area (North West England) then you can always come and see me for a free consultation.  Visit this page to get in touch.

You may also be interested to read: ‘What causes thread veins on your face.’