Thread vein removal is safe and effective. Despite the fact that thread vein removal has been around for over 50 years, there are still many people who are unsure about whether or not it’s safe. Thread vein removal has been performed in clinical settings since 1961, and since its inception, there have been no reported complications from the procedure. In fact, it’s considered one of the safest cosmetic procedures available today. The main risk associated with thread vein removal is bruising or discoloration around the area where your veins were treated. If you have a history of bleeding disorders or are on blood thinners, you should consult with your doctor before undergoing any cosmetic procedure.
The best way to reduce any potential risks associated with thread vein removal is by choosing a board-certified dermatologist as your medical provider. Dermatologists specialize in treating skin conditions such as spider veins and capillaries, so they are well equipped to perform this type of procedure safely and effectively.
Read on to learn more about Is Thread Vein Removal Safe, Botox for hooded eyelids
Is Thread Vein Removal Safe
Patients who have facial thread veins removed at our clinic are often surprised by how easy and quick the treatment is. They seem to expect that removal of spider veins is a complex or painful procedure, and are pleasantly surprised when it’s not. In this blog we’ll look at the basics of Laser Facial Thread Vein Treatment and how you could benefit from it.
What are facial thread veins?
Thread veins are tiny blood vessels that present on the skin’s surface. On the face they’re most commonly found on or around the nose and cheeks. The veins are usually red in colour but can also be purple or blue.
Pictures taken just five minutes apart
Why are people not aware that they can have facial thread veins removed?
Treating facial thread veins via laser is actually a highly successful and predictable treatment.
A lot of our patients have been to see their GPs and have been given no advice of how to treat them, as it’s not something the NHS actively offers. The advice many patients are given seems to be “there are private providers that offer treatment, so Google it”.
Another reason is that it’s not marketed as much by private clinics as the demand is not the same as other laser treatments such as hair removal and tattoo removal. This is strange as a large percentage of the UK population do suffer from facial thread veins but due to the lack of NHS coverage they simply continue with them.
Are thread veins dangerous?
The simple answer is no. But the earlier you treatment them, the easier it is to remove them.
How much does it cost to remove facial thread veins?
At Good Skin Days, thread vein removal via laser costs on average £80 – £100 per treatment. Every patient is different but usually improvements can be seen immediately after the first treatment. Most patients will see a positive result after two or three treatments, meaning the average total cost is about £240 – £300.
Who can have this treatment?
There are some limitations as to who can have this treatment.
Patients with skin that has dark pigmentation are often not suitable – this can include Asian, African and Caribbean skin types. Anyone with an active sun tan, or fake tan, are not suitable – meaning the best time to have this treatment done is in the winter. There are also certain medications such as Roaccutane that would prevent treatment.
How long does treatment take?
Most clinics will offer a consultation with a view to carrying out a test patch on the day. They would then look to book your first appointment 3-4 weeks after, allowing time to assess the initial response.
They would also leave a similar amount of time between each treatment so from start to finish (three treatments) you could expect it to take a minimum of three months.
Do they reappear?
No. Once the vein is removed it cannot come back, though sometimes different veins can present in a similar place later.
There are no specific explanations of why certain people get thread veins but some of the contributing factors can be:
- Working outdoors or spending a lot of time outdoors (for example walking or cycling)
- Alcohol
- Inherited tendencies
- Long-term use of some medications
- Age
Botox for hooded eyelids
When your eyelids droop and sag, it can be a cosmetic problem. Sagging eyelids can potentially make someone look older and more tired than they actually feel and look. Additionally, when the eyelids droop, they can give rise to medical concerns, as the eyelids could disrupt your vision. While you may have heard that a surgical procedure exists to correct the issue, which is known as blepharoplasty, you may not realize that a less invasive treatment exists – an injection of Botox.
Botox is a viable means to alleviate your hooded eyelids. However, you may be wondering, to what extent can Botox help? At Dermacare Laser & Skin Care Clinic of San Diego, we want to help you address your hooded eyelid concerns by utilizing Botox.
What Are Hooded Eyelids?
Hooded eyelids are a cosmetic and medical concern that can occur for several reasons. The condition, known as ptosis, can result from the levator muscle weakening, which is the muscle that holds up your eyelids or can also result from continuous pulling on your eyelids. Actions, such as putting on makeup, can contribute to sagging eyelid skin if not done gently. While it may seem that hooded eyelids are only apparent in an older generation, they can also occur in children either because of trauma or due to neurological reasons. In short, hooded eyelids are a common condition. If left untreated, the eyelid skin can eventually sag enough to disrupt your vision and lead to secondary conditions such as headaches.
What Is Botox?
Botox is a neurotoxin that consists of botulinum toxin Type A. When this neurotoxin is injected into a muscle, it blocks specific nerve receptors from receiving a signal. Blocking this signal prevents muscle movement from occurring, effectively keeping the skin from folding over. For this reason, a Botox injection is commonly used as a way to prevent wrinkles from forming. Botox was initially FDA-approved to treat muscle eye spasms in 1989. Still, the cosmetic benefits were soon realized, causing it to become one of the most popular cosmetic treatments worldwide.
What Botox Can Treat
Botox is commonly utilized to treat what are known as dynamic wrinkles. These wrinkles are not the result of the natural aging process, which is instead referred to as static wrinkles. Instead, dynamic wrinkles are a type of wrinkle that results in facial movements made over the years. From a frown to a smile, any form of facial movement causes various facial muscles to move. When they are made consistently enough, the wrinkles can eventually appear to be permanently imprinted on the face. Dynamic wrinkles are apparent around the mouth, forehead, nose and eyes.
When Botox Is Appropriate for Hooded Eyelids
A Botox injection is an appropriate treatment for hooded eyelids. The treatment can treat a low eyebrow position or slight brow drooping, which is causing the eyelids to hang lower than they should be. Botox can be injected into the outer end of the eyebrow to elevate the eyebrow slightly. By elevating the eyebrow slightly, Botox lifts the upper eyelid and reveals a small amount of eyelid skin. Botox is a short-term solution for treating hooded eyelids. The neurotoxin’s effects will gradually wear off, and the eyebrow muscles will regain their strength. Usually, a Botox injection lasts approximately two to three months.
When Botox Cannot Help Hooded Eyelids
If your hooded eyelids are the result of an excessive amount of eyelid skin or because of a more pronounced brow droop, Botox is not a viable treatment. There are no neurotoxins that can reduce or tighten the skin. This means that if hooded eyelids are a medical concern, then Botox will be an ineffective solution. Instead, patients would be recommended blepharoplasty, which is a surgical procedure that removes excess eyelid skin. Blepharoplasty is an ideal solution for hooded eyelids because it produces long-lasting results.
However, the surgical procedure could be unfavorable if hooded eyelids result from minor skin sagging or a slightly drooping eyebrow. Blepharoplasty can be a potentially extensive procedure, is costly and poses more risks than Botox. It’s essential to weigh the benefits of Botox compared to blepharoplasty when deciding which treatment is the better option.
The Botox Treatment for Hooded Eyelids
Treating hooded eyelids with Botox is a relatively simple process. The treatment involves injecting Botox into your lower forehead and the outer ends of your eyebrows. When injected, it will paralyze the muscle by effectively preventing nerve receptors that prompt muscle movement. The treatment paralyzes the depressor muscle, which causes the eyebrow to droop, while the elevator muscle, which raises the eyebrow, remains untouched. The treatment will raise the brow a few millimeters. While this does not sound like a significant amount, it will still effectively give you a more open and alert look.
Utilizing Botox to treat hooded eyelids is best performed under the guidance of an expert injector. If not, the treatment can potentially create superficial results. At Dermacare Laser & Skin Care Clinic, our injectors are well adept at treating hooded eyelids with Botox.
Iopidine eye drops botox
While it may sound like science fiction, the FDA-approved eye lifting drop is real: UPNEEQ® is a prescription eye drop that temporarily improves droopy eyelids, or ptosis, with a single daily dose. While you won’t get the more dramatic results you can expect from eyelid lift surgery, patients see an average of about 1 mm of lift in their upper eyelid after the first use—just enough to make a noticeable difference.
For cosmetic surgeons, this first-of-its-kind non-surgical treatment for eyelid ptosis creates an option that many patients will benefit from, including those not ready for eyelid surgery or who are suffering from low-lying eyelids due to BOTOX® injections. Below, we answer your top questions about Upneeq.
What are droopy eyelids (blepharoptosis)?
The medical name for droopy eyelids is blepharoptosis (blepharo = eyelid, ptosis = sagging). Eyelids that droop may lead you to appear tired, and your eyes may look smaller than they normally are. It can also interfere with the function of your eyes.
Droopy eyelids have numerous possible causes, including aging, genetics, eye surgery, certain underlying medical conditions, or even Botox that inadvertently travels to the eyelid muscles after injection in the forehead.
What is acquired blepharoptosis, and how is it different?
Droopy eyelids may be either congenital (present from birth) or acquired, which means that they develop over time (i.e. because of aging). Congenital droopy eyelids cannot be treated with Upneeq, and may require corrective surgery. Acquired blepharoptosis may be treated with Upneeq.
If the cause of your droopy eyelids is unclear, but sure to visit an ophthalmologist first for an eye exam to rule out an underlying medical condition. Serious neurological or eye conditions can also cause eyelid ptosis, including stroke and/or cerebral aneurysm, Horner syndrome, myasthenia gravis, external ophthalmoplegia, orbital infection, and orbital masses.
How are droopy eyelids treated?
Many patients seek eyelid lift surgery to treat cases of droopy eyelids, whether for cosmetic or medical reasons. Upneeq is a revolutionary second option: it is the first treatment specifically approved by the FDA to treat acquired droopy eyelids.
How does Upneeq work?
Upneeq (oxymetazoline hydrochloride ophthalmic solution), 0.1% is an eye drop that should be inserted once a day, one drop per eye. (Each single-use vial of Upneeq contains enough solution to treat one or both eyes at a time.) Upneeq contains oxymetazoline, an alpha adrenergic agonist that triggers the levator palpebrae muscle (Muller’s or Mueller’s muscle), causing the muscle to contract and raise the upper eyelid.
Upneeq works by stimulating an involuntary eyelid muscle, the Muller’s muscle, to contract.
In clinical studies, the average amount of upper eyelid lift was 1 mm. While this minor lift will not give you the dramatic results possible with surgery, this small lift can be cosmetically and/or medically beneficial to many patients.
Photo: Upneeq
How long does Upneeq last?
Each dose (one drop daily) of Upneeq was shown to be effective for at least 6 hours in clinical studies.
Is Upneeq FDA-approved to be safe and effective?
Yes, Upneeq is FDA-approved to be both safe and effective for the treatment of acquired eyelid ptosis in adults. To gain FDA approval, Upneeq showed effectiveness in two 6-week trials that followed 304 patients with acquired blepharoptosis. A third study was also conducted to establish that the eye drop is safe.
The main ingredient in Upneeq, oxymetazoline hydrochloride, is the same primary ingredient in decongestant nasal spray, such as Afrin®. In nasal spray, the ingredient works by stimulating the blood vessels to contract, while in Upneeq, this ingredient works to stimulate eyelid muscle contraction.
A single drop of Upneeq gives most patients a temporary eyelid lift of about 1 mm.
What are the side effects from Upneeq?
In clinical trials, a range of side effects were observed in 1-5% of patients and included eye inflammation or irritation, redness, dry eye, blurred vision, headache, redness in the lining inside and at the front of the eye (conjunctival hyperemia), and inflammation of the cornea (punctate keratitis). Eye pain is also possible around the time that Upneeq drops are used.
How many times a day can I use Upneeq?
Upneeq should only be used as prescribed: one dose, once daily. Work with your doctor to decide how long it is appropriate for you to use Upneeq, and follow their recommendations.
Can Upneeq cause rebound redness?
Using Upneeq may lead to rebound redness (rebound hyperemia), which can occur with use of certain eye drops, such as Visine® or other over-the-counter products, that relieve redness by constricting blood vessels. Rebound redness is a persistent redness that develops after your eye becomes accustomed to a redness-relieving eye drop. While Upneeq is not prescribed for redness relief, the active ingredient may constrict blood vessels, and could lead to this redness. Contact your doctor if you experience more redness than normal, or any other symptoms, while you are using Upneeq.
Upneeq underwent thorough clinical trials to receive FDA-approval for acquired blepharoptosis, or “droopy eyelids.”
Can I use Upneeq with my other eye drops?
Yes, you can likely use Upneeq with other eye drops. After using Upneeq, wait 15 minutes before using any other eye drops (or inserting contact lenses). Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of the prescription and over the counter medications and eye drops you use in your consultation to ensure that they are safe to use with Upneeq.
Who is a good candidate for Upneeq?
If you have mild, moderate, or severe eyelid ptosis (sagging), and you are not taking any medications that will interfere with Upneeq, then you may be a good candidate for the eye-lifting drop. Disclose all of your medications and supplements, as well as your medical history, with your board certified cosmetic surgeon or ophthalmologist in order to determine if you are a good candidate. Upneeq may affect blood pressure and amine metabolism, and therefore may interfere with certain prescription medications, including:
- Beta-blockers
- Anti-hypertensive medications
- Cardiac glycosides
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
How does Upneeq compare to eyelid lift surgery?
Upneeq helps those with acquired blepharoptosis, or droopy eyelids that develop over time, and is ideal for temporary use—but it can only achieve mild improvement of ptosis. As such, Upneeq is not a substitute for eyelid lift surgery (blepharoplasty), which offers results that are lasting and can treat both genetic and acquired droopy eyelids. Upneeq can be considered a helpful but temporary alternative to surgery for those who are not prepared to have a surgical eyelid lift.