IPL · MorpethThread Vein Removal in Morpeth, Northumberland

What thread veins are

Thread veins — telangiectasia, if you want the clinical term — are tiny surface blood vessels that have dilated permanently and no longer constrict. They show most often around the nostrils, across the cheeks and at the sides of the nose. Sun damage, rosacea, genetics, alcohol and simple ageing all contribute.

They are harmless. They are also, for a lot of people, the single thing they notice in the mirror, and they do not fade on their own.

How IPL clears them

The light is absorbed by the haemoglobin inside the vessel, heating it so the vessel wall collapses. The body then clears the remnant over the following fortnight. Visible vessels often darken or disappear during the session itself, which is unusually satisfying as treatments go.

How many treatments

A small area — around one nostril, or a patch on a cheek — is fifteen minutes and frequently needs only one session. More widespread capillaries usually take two or three, spaced four weeks apart. Where thread veins sit on a background of rosacea, treating the underlying redness gives a more durable result.

Will they come back?

The vessels treated are gone for good. New ones can form over the years, particularly with continued sun exposure or untreated rosacea, so an occasional top-up is normal rather than a sign anything has failed.

Aftercare

Expect slight redness and sometimes a fine scab over a treated vessel for a few days — leave it alone. Daily SPF, no picking, and avoid heat and heavy exercise for forty-eight hours.

From the journal

• Rosacea, or just red cheeks?

All articles