What are thread veins (spider veins)?

Today we’re talking about a subject that has been super popular in my ‘Ask Amy’ Stories on Instagram – Thread veins. These red, squiggly lines affect almost all of us, so I thought we’d cover why they happen, how you can stop them appearing and what to do if they’ve already made themselves at home on your face.

Firstly, it’s important to note that thread veins are totally harmless. They’re simply broken capillaries that sit just under the surface of your skin and look like little web formations, which is why they’re often referred to as spider veins too.

They occur when your tiny vessels become overworked which causes them to enlarge and break. I often describe the process like continually stretching an elastic band – eventually, over time, they simply give way and snap.

There are many things that can trigger the formation of thread veins including your genetics and the external environment. If you have fair skin that’s on the sensitive side for example, you’ll have a higher chance of developing them with age. However, it’s our lifestyle choices that usually cause the most damage and as prevention is better than cure, let’s look at a few tiny tweaks that will keep broken capillaries at bay.

For starters, minimising temperature changes to your skin makes a HUGE impact. Going from extreme hot to extreme cold can cause your vessels to expand or contract too quickly, instantly breaking them.

To prevent this, always ensure you cleanse your skin with warm water only, point the car heaters or aircon away from your face and always, always apply Sunbeam Cream - SPF 50 as the last step in your morning routine. As it protects against sunlight, it’s the best preventative thread vein treatment you can get your hands on, and as a bonus, like all our products, it’s fragrance free to strengthen sensitive skin too.

Other lifestyle habits to be aware of are drinking alcohol and smoking. Alcohol causes a process called vasodilation which makes your blood vessels expand rapidly and explains why we often flush after a drink…For me, that process only takes one glass! Smoking on the other hand causes vasoconstriction and reduces blood flow to the skin by approximately 30-40%. When either of these things happen too quickly or repeatedly, the vessels will breakdown so try and make healthy lifestyle choices wherever possible.

Now if you’re reading this and already have thread veins you would like to treat, here's what to do. Unfortunately no topical skincare is able to correct them as it’s impossible to repair the vessel wall. Instead, we need to look at clinic-based treatments such as laser, IPL or electrolysis. These treatments will heat the veins very quickly which causes them to collapse in on themselves, so the body can break them down entirely and filter them away.

Thankfully these treatments are almost completely painless and any thread veins will disappear immediately.

All you need to do is find your local skin clinic, book in for a consultation and the Aesthetician will be able to advise the appropriate treatment for you and your skin. It is honestly quicker than you can imagine and is one of my favourite treatments to perform as the fine, red lines literally vanish in front of your very eyes!

I hope this helps to answer all your thread vein concerns and I can’t thank you enough for continuing to send me your skincare questions. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing posts I know you’re keen to learn about, and my inbox is always open for your skin queries 🥰