Spider or ‘thread’ veins are small, damaged or broken veins that are visible through the skin. They may appear as a clustered ‘spider web’ of tiny red, blue or purple veins. Spider veins most commonly appear on the face, but it’s entirely possible for them to also appear on the legs and feet as well
Fortunately, there are a number of treatments available to help you get rid of your spider veins. While they won’t go away on their own, our team of specialists can treat and permanently remove spider veins from your legs and/or feet. The best and most effective treatments for spider veins are Microsclerotherapy and Veinwave treatments
The objective of spider vein treatments is to collapse the wall of the damaged vein. Once the vein is blocked off and blood stops flowing through it, the body simply absorbs the vein
In Microsclerotherapy, the doctor carefully injects a saline solution into the damaged vein, collapsing and blocking it off so the body can do the rest. It’s a non-invasive and virtually painless procedure. As it’s so precise, it doesn’t cause any damage to the surrounding tissue. Microsclerotherapy is often used in tandem with Veinwave treatments
Veinwave, also known as ‘Thermavein’, is slightly different to Microsclerotherapy, but works on the same principle. Rather than using a saline solution, Veinwave uses a very fine needle to apply a precisely targeted source of heat to seal and gently remove the thread veins
Veinwave is an extremely effective treatment for very fine spider veins. It is often used in treating spider veins on the face, but can also be applied to smaller thread veins on the legs and feet
The non-invasive nature of these treatments means that almost anyone can have them done. This includes patients with pacemakers and those with diabetes. While diabetic patients need to be careful with the health of their legs and feet, Microsclerotherapy and Veinwave are not damaging or dangerous in any way
Pregnant women are at greater risk of spider veins and may look for treatments as soon as they discover them. While pregnant women are welcome to come in for an initial consultation, it’s usually advisable to wait until after the birth to begin any actual treatment
The initial consultation session costs £135, while the treatment sessions themselves cost £395 each. However, existing varicose vein patients of the UK Vein Clinic only pay £300 per treatment session. While very fine veins may be treated in a single session, spider veins on the legs and feet usually require 3-4 treatments
It all starts with an initial consultation at our London Harley Street or Manchester Pall Mall clinics, which you can book by clicking on the link below. This initial consultation usually lasts around 30 minutes, during which your doctor will make sure you fully understand your treatment options
It is possible to cover spider veins on the legs and feet to hide them from view. Apart from the obvious cover provided by long skirts, trousers and socks, it’s also possible to use coloured concealer as ‘camouflage makeup’
Spider veins are usually not painful, and so for some people this is an easy solution. However, the damaged veins will remain until they’re eventually treated, which means that choosing to simply cover them is a commitment to constantly doing so. Most people prefer to have their spider veins treated and permanently removed
There aren’t any effective natural remedies for spider veins. Some people may suggest trying apple cider vinegar, coconut oil or vitamin C. Unfortunately none of these things can affect the damaged veins that are trapped under the skin
The only way to remove them is to collapse the veins so that the body can absorb them, as outlined in the treatment descriptions above
While topical creams may temporarily mask or cover spider veins, none of them have any effect on the veins themselves. Retinoid creams may temporarily obscure the veins, but they will reappear as soon as the effects wear off
Moisturisers and other skin creams are great for the overall health of your skin, but none of them will do anything to spider veins, which are lying too deeply underneath the surface of the skin for creams to have any effect
Spider (thread) veins, along with varicose veins, have a tendency to get worse over time This is because the cause of the issue isn’t being addressed. As more veins become damaged, the network of spider veins is likely to grow rather than shrink. The treatments outlined above encourage the body to naturally absorb the spider veins but, without the initial ‘push’ given by the treatments, this isn’t something that your body can do on its own
Take our 2-minute self-assessment to find out how you could benefit from a varicose vein treatment
Start assessmentWe're pleased to be able to provide our world-class spider vein treatment in a variety of places throughout the United Kingdom. Learn more about your treatment options, including Microsclerotherapy and Veinwave treatment, at the clinic closest to you
X
We've detected an Ad Blocker in your browser.
Please disable or pause the Ad Blocker and refresh the page to be able to view our form correctly.
