At Laserase Bolton we have been treating thread veins for over 20 years, but what are they and what can be done about them?

Thread veins - also known as spider veins or broken veins – are small clusters of blue or red veins that can appear at various sites on the body, but most often on the face or legs.

Although they are harmless, they can often appear unsightly, and at Laserase Bolton, we offer both laser and microsclerotherapy treatments to maximise our ability to clear thread veins.

Around one in five women in their 20s have thread veins, a figure that continues to increase so that by the age of 70 over 70 per cent of women have some thread veins.

Thread veins can be caused by a variety of different factors such as wind and extremes of temperature, steroid creams and changes in hormonal balance. There can also be genetic reasons with some people more likely to develop thread veins than others.

Depending on the size of the veins and where they are on the body we will recommend either one or a combination of treatments. It is advised that the earlier thread veins are treated the easier it is to achieve optimum results.

Our laser treatment involves using an ND:Yag laser, which is very efficient at removing blood vessels. The laser is fired in short bursts at the thread veins and the heat from the laser breaks down the thread veins into tiny particles which the body then destroys. For larger veins, microsclerotherapy works by injecting a liquid known as a sclerosing liquid into the vein which causes the vein to dissolve.

The number of treatments required depends on the size and depth of the thread veins but we will give you an idea at your consultation.