Thread veins are a common problem and occur in about half of adults in western countries.

These are very fine, red dilated veins lying in the skin. They often occur near the ankle, over the inside of the knee and the outside of the thigh. Thread veins may occur in the region where a minor injury has caused a bruise.  They may begin during hormonal surges such as the onset of periods, during pregnancy or during menopause.  In some people they are due to varicose veins, but in others thread veins can occur on their own.  Some people experience discomfort and aching in the legs due to thread veins and this can improve following treatment.

When patients have thread veins it is very important to have a Consultant assessment and an ultrasound to determine whether there are underlying varicose veins.  This is because treatment of thread veins does not work very well unless the varicose veins in the same leg have all been removed first.

The best form of treatment for these small veins is microsclerotherapy.  This is much more effective than laser treatments.  All our team are seasoned experts in the delivery of microsclerotherapy.