Spider veins are not a physically painful problem however they can cause extreme emotional difficulty for those who suffer from it's effects.
Facial spider veins are not caused by any venous pressure and are assumed to occur due to the aging process and exposure to the sun.
The only solution offered by medical professionals until recently was camouflage creams which do not treat, but instead mask the problem.
Now there are two solutions, both quite similar.
A simple hand held device releases an intense pulse of light, the heat produced heats the blood until it breaks down the wall of the vein.
The blood is dispersed around the area evenly and the remaining vein is gradually absorbed into the body.
Over the course of 2-3 treatments spaced out over 6 weeks the veins collapse entirely and leave the skin free of the marks.
Most people need 2-3 sessions however this varies with particularly dark veins.
Thread vein treatment varies slightly in that before a doctor will carry out a procedure they will generally send for a venous duplex ultrasound.
This is to make sure that there is no underlying leg pump failure beneath the thread veins.
Thread veins are not to be confused with varicose veins which are entirely different.
Varicose veins are far more serious and mean there is are signs of leg pump failure.
On the whole patients cope well with the pain of laser removal, the discomfort doesn't last long and local anaesthetic creams can be used prior to the procedure.
The procedure is permanent after 2-3 sessions on the area treated.
However, if an individual has the pre-disposition to suffer from thread veins they may appear on different sites or areas of the skin.
After 8 weeks the vein will have completely absorbed into the body and you see the final result.