Are Thread Veins Dangerous?

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The main concern for anybody who suddenly finds anything out of the ordinary on their skin is undoubtedly whether or not it is a cause for concern. Fortunately thread veins fall in to the category of conditions that do not pose a health risk, read on for more on why.

What are thread veins?

Thread veins, also called spider veins and medically known as telangiectasia, is a fairly common condition that affects women more than men. They form in fine veins and capillaries, usually on your face or legs, and appear as a spider web like pattern of vessels on your skin.

Your veins are responsible for carrying untold millions of litres of bloods throughout your lifetime. Unsurprisingly this pressure can take its toll on some of them, causing these unfortunate vessels to expand and become visible as blood pools in them. Thread veins are not painful or unpleasant, and most importantly are not dangerous.

The only time when thread veins are anything more than an aesthetic nuisance is when they are associated with varicose veins. These occur as the valves directing blood flow in larger veins cease to function correctly, resulting in knotted swellings as blood collects. These can be quite painful, and in some cases lead to some complications or be indicative of underlying health programmes. Varicose veins can be indicative of a deep vein injury or blood clot, a swelling or tumour which obstructs blood flow, or abnormal vasculature. The complications of varicose veins include inflammation of the vein and/or swelling in the affected area. As well as discolouration or skin ulcers at the site, which may bleed. For these reasons, if your thread veins are associated with varicose veins you should have them checked out. That being said however, thread veins themselves are not dangerous

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