Leg thread veins are small broken red or purplish blood vessels that are visible at the skin’s surface, medically known as telangiectasia.

The term thread veins refers to their fine ‘thread-like’ appearance, but these dilated blood vessels often get worse with time, becoming larger and more noticeable.

Thread veins on the legs tend to be primarily a function of age. They also run in families and can be associated with weight change, hormones or weather exposure.

While they are generally harmless, the fact that they are so visible at the surface of the skin can cause a problem for the sufferer.

Depending on the severity of the condition, these may be treated either with laser or with sclerotherapy injections. Both of these treatments work to destroy the vein so that it breaks down and is not visible at the skin’s surface.

Thread vein removal

Varicose veins are much thicker and more noticeable than thread veins. They can appear bluish in colour and can appear to be quite bulged or swollen in appearance. This is a very different condition to thread veins. Read more about varicose veins