WHAT ARE SPIDER VEINS/THREAD VEINS?

You may sometimes hear people mention “spider veins” or “thread veins” which are similar to varicose veins but are smaller in appearance and closer to the surface of the skin. They are mostly found on legs and faces and are typically blue or red in colour. If you have them, you’ll recognize them by their jagged tree-like or spiderweb appearance. Spider veins can be caused by the backup of blood, hormonal changes, normal ageing, excessive sun exposure or injuries. It’s also known that your family genes can play an important role as well.

WHAT ARE VARICOSE VEINS?

Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged which can appear on the skin as blue, red, or even flesh coloured. If you have them, they make look slightly twisted and can sometimes bulge above your skin’s surface. They are commonly found on the inside of the leg, back of your calves or on your thighs and can often show up in other areas during pregnancy. Please be aware that as varicose veins and thread veins are different, we only provide treatment for thread/spider veins at our Kent clinic.