Thread veins are small, thin blood vessels that appear under the surface of the skin. They’re a common problem for people who are fair-skinned, and they are often more noticeable on the face and legs. Thread veins can be removed by numbing the skin with a cream or gel and then using a laser to destroy them. The procedure can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, and it’s usually done in a doctor’s office or outpatient surgery center.
The results are immediate and long-lasting. You’ll see improvement right away, but full recovery takes about three weeks (depending on how many treatments you have).
Read on to learn more about What Is Thread Vein Removal, Best Chemical Peel For Sagging Skin and Chemical Peel Benefits
What Is Thread Vein Removal
Varicose and spider veins: Varicose veins are enlarged veins that often twist and can bulge above the surface of the skin. They may be blue, red, or flesh-colored. Spider veins often look like webs.
Having spider or varicose veins can affect more than your appearance. These veins can cause serious discomfort. Some varicose veins put you at risk for a complication like a blood clot or open sores on your legs.
Minimally invasive treatment can get rid of or fade leg veins. Treatment can also diminish symptoms like pain and fatigue and prevent complications.
Why we get visible leg veins
Varicose and spider veins are damaged veins. We develop them when tiny, one-way valves inside the veins weaken. In healthy veins, these valves push blood in one direction — back to our heart. When these valves weaken, some blood flows backward and accumulates in the vein. Extra blood in the vein puts pressure on the walls of the vein.
With continual pressure, the vein walls weaken and bulge. In time, we see a varicose or spider vein.
Some people have a higher risk of developing these veins. If blood relatives have them, you have a higher risk. Many people get them because they sit or stand for long periods most days of the week. These veins also become more common with age and during pregnancy.
Spider veins can also be caused by sunlight, hormonal changes, or an injury.
How dermatologists treat leg veins
Treatment options range from self-care to minor surgery. A dermatologist may use one or more of these treatments:
Self-care: Your dermatologist can give you tips to improve your circulation. These tips include:
- Exercise
- Elevate your legs
- Sit for long periods? Get up and walk around every 30 minutes
- Stand for long periods? Take a break every 30 minutes
- Avoid soaking in hot baths for long periods of time
Self-care tips can help prevent new varicose and spider veins but cannot get rid of existing ones.
Compression stockings: These stockings apply steady pressure to help move the blood back to your heart. The steady pressure also lessens swelling in your lower legs and reduces the risk of getting a blood clot. You’ll still have visible leg veins, though.
If you need compression stockings, a dermatologist can examine you so that you get the proper size and right amount of pressure.
Sclerotherapy: This is the most common treatment for leg veins. Over the years, dermatologists have improved sclerotherapy to make it safer and give patients better results. Today, dermatologists use it to treat spider and small varicose veins.
If you have sclerotherapy, this is what happens during treatment:
- Your dermatologist injects a chemical into the spider or varicose vein, which irritates the wall of the vein. Different areas of the vein are injected.
- After the injections, your dermatologist may massage the area.
- A compression stocking is then placed on each leg.
- You will be observed for a time and then be able to go home.
- To help prevent possible side effects, you will need to take daily walks and wear the compression stockings as directed. Most patients wear the compression stockings for 2 to 3 weeks.
- You can return to work and most activities the next day.
Sclerotherapy causes the walls of the vein to stick together, so the blood cannot flow through it anymore. This improves circulation in the treated leg and reduces swelling.
Spider veins usually disappear in 3 to 6 weeks. Varicose veins take 3 to 4 months.
To get the best results, you may need 2 or 3 treatments. A dermatologist can perform these treatments during an office visit. No anesthesia is needed.
Laser treatments: Dermatologists use lasers to treat spider veins and small varicose veins. During laser treatment, your dermatologist directs the laser light at the vein.
Laser light can destroy the vein without damaging your skin.
Small spider veins may disappear immediately after treatment. Larger spider veins and varicose veins will darken, and you’ll likely see them for 1 to 3 months before they disappear. To get complete clearing, you may need 3 or more treatments.
Most patients can return to work and many of their normal activities the next day.
After each treatment, some patients need to wear compression stockings for a short time.
Every patient will need to protect the treated area from the sun for 3 to 4 weeks. This helps prevent dark spots from developing. Protecting your skin from the sun year round helps to prevent new spider veins and skin cancer.
Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA): EVLT and RFA are newer treatments. They often replace the need to surgically remove a vein.
Both treatments work inside the vein to destroy it. Dermatologists use EVLT to treat spider veins and small varicose veins. RFA is used to treat large varicose veins.
This is what happens during these treatments:
- You receive local anesthesia, which numbs the area to be treated. The anesthesia also causes the area to swell.
- Your dermatologist then makes a small incision and inserts a laser fiber (for EVLT) or catheter (for RFA) into the vein.
- Your dermatologist activates the laser or radiofrequency device, which heats up the vein, causing it to collapse and seal shut. The heat does not harm the surrounding area.
- After treatment, a compression stocking will be placed on each leg.
- You are observed for a time and then able to go home.
- To help prevent possible side effects, you will need to take daily walks and wear the compression stockings as directed. Most patients wear the compression stockings for 1 to 2 weeks.
- You can return to work and most activities the next day.
It takes about 1 year for the treated vein to disappear with both EVLT and RFA. To get best results, you may need more than one treatment.
Physical exam essential before treatment
A physical exam helps your dermatologist decide if leg vein treatment is safe for you. During the physical exam, your dermatologist will look closely at your leg veins and ask about your medical history.
Non-invasive tests that look at the veins in your legs may also be necessary. A Doppler ultrasound will show the blood flow in your leg veins. Plethysmography (pla-thiz-muh-graph-ē) uses a blood pressure cuff to measure changes in blood volume, which can help find problems like abnormal blood flow.
After reviewing all of the information, your dermatologist can tell you if leg vein treatment is right for you and which treatment would be most effective. Sometimes, more than one type of treatment will be recommended to give you the best results and reduce side effects.
If treatment is recommended, be sure to ask whether insurance will cover it. You’ll likely have to pay if treatment is performed only to improve the look of your legs.
Skill is the key to getting best results
The results you will see depend largely on the person performing the leg vein treatment. Because dermatologists made many of the advances that have given us safer, less invasive treatments for leg veins, they have a leg up on using these treatments.
You can find a dermatologist who treats leg veins by going to, Find a dermatologist and coose the specialty of Cosmetic Dermatology.
When you call the office, ask if the dermatologist regularly treats leg veins.
Best Chemical Peel For Sagging Skin
If you’re looking for a great option to firm and tighten your skin, as well as soften lines and wrinkles, consider having a professional chemical peel.
At Starkey Medical Esthetics in Salem, Virginia, Michele Meinhart, FNP, is a master esthetician with 22 years of experience helping clients like you with their skincare needs. If you’re considering a chemical peel, we’ve provided a guide so you can determine the type that’s best for your skin.
What are chemical peels?
To improve the overall appearance of your skin, Dr. Meinhart and her skilled team frequently use chemical peels. It works especially well on your face, hands, and neck. In general, the procedure involves the use of medical-grade chemicals that are applied to your trouble areas. The chemicals work to exfoliate your skin so that it slowly sloughs away to reveal a new, smoother layer.
Chemical peels help address a range of skin problems, such as:
- Roughness
- Discoloration
- Scarring
- Age spots
- Damaged skin cells
- Crow’s feet
- Fine lines
- Freckles
- Melasma
- Hyperpigmentation
- Sagging skin
In addition, if your skin is often red or blotchy, a chemical peel may be a good choice for you as well.
Which chemical peel is right for me?
This is a common question. There’s no one chemical peel that’s the “best”; it’s a matter of individual needs and preferences. We consider your skin type, what improvements you’d like to make, and your health history. We’ll meet together to talk about your goals and discuss which chemical peel is best for you.
What are the types of chemical peels?
At Starkey Medical Esthetics, we offer a wide range of options, including:
TCA Peel
This peel uses trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to strip off dead skin and boost new cell growth. It’s a popular treatment for melasma, acne scars, or simply to enjoy younger-looking skin.
Alpha Peel
Alpha is short for alpha hydroxyacid. Alpha peels are versatile and treat a number of skin conditions, like liver spots, dry skin, and acne.
Brown Peel
Retinoic acid and Vitamin C work together to remove the unwelcome brown areas on your skin from sun and aging.
Hydropeptide Peel
Hydropeptide peel repairs and rejuvenates tired, lackluster skin. Restores hydration and smoothes lines and wrinkles.
Circadia® Peels
Circadia peels are an innovative line of chemical peels that work with your body’s natural circadian rhythms to stimulate new, healthy skin cell growth. The line can treat a wide range of skin conditions.
Who should not get a chemical peel?
Chemical peels are best for people with fair or lighter skin tones. If you have a darker skin tone, the procedure may leave the tone of your skin uneven, so Dr. Meinhart may recommend a different procedure.
Chemical Peel Benefits
Smoother, younger-looking skin is hidden just beyond the surface—literally.
Why not peel back old, damaged skin to reveal a healthier layer underneath?
In 2018, chemical peels were among the most popular minimally-invasive procedures. With over 1.38 million procedures requested, chemical peels are third behind Botox and soft tissue fillers.
Today, more people are choosing this treatment option to experience numerous chemical peel benefits. It’s not solely for movie stars and celebrities, either! With a single treatment, you’ll start noticing the difference.
Ready for younger-looking, softer skin? Keep reading to discover the seven benefits of getting a deep chemical peel!
1. Give Your Skincare Products a Boost
During your treatment, a dermatologist will apply a solution of chemicals to the surface of your skin. When removed, the chemical peel will take dull surface skin cells along with it.
Shedding the topmost layer of your skin will tell living skin cells to multiply and move to the surface. This signals your body to boost collagen production, which will improve your skin’s elasticity. The reaction increases natural hyaluronic acid production, too.
As a result, your skin will begin to look and feel younger.
Smoother skin appears more radiant. It’s also more receptive to skincare products.
After a chemical peel, you’ll notice your skincare products will perform better. Now there are no longer dead skin cells at the surface of your skin. This makes it easier for your products to penetrate the skin’s surface and get to work!
2. Easy Exfoliation
At the beginning of your treatment, a professional will first thoroughly clean your skin. Then, they’ll apply a chemical solution (such as glycolic or salicylic acid) to a small area of your skin. Most chemical peels have a gel-like consistency.
This layer creates a controlled wound. You’ll feel a slight burning sensation, which lasts about 10 minutes. When the chemical solution is removed, new skin will take the place of old skin.
This process allows the chemical peel to reach deeper than other solutions.
One of the reasons many people request a deep chemical peel is to experience smoother-looking skin. Chemical peels also improve your skin tone and texture.
After removing dead skin cells, the peel will also deposit skin-healing ingredients into your skin. Now you’re exfoliating and giving your skin a boost.
If you’re looking for a skincare treatment that will leave your skin feeling like silk, try a chemical peel.
3. Minimize Sun Damage
A chemical peel benefits patients with hyper-pigmentation as well.
Hyper-pigmentation causes some patches of skin to appear darker than others. While normal, increased skin pigmentation sometimes occurs if you’re suffering from another condition. For example, Addison’s disease sometimes produces hyper-pigmentation.
Requesting a mild chemical peel can help heal your sun spots, freckles, and other pigmentation problems. Sun damage can also age your skin, causing fine lines and blotchiness.
With a chemical peel, you can ease these symptoms by treating your wrinkles to appear younger!
4. Control Melasma
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentary disorder that’s often resistant to certain treatments. While a common, chronic form of skin hyper-pigmentation, melasma can negatively impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.
In some cases, melasma is caused by hormonal surges. Patients who are pregnant may notice an increase in melasma during and after their pregnancy. While taking a birth control pill can help balance hormones and melasma, there still isn’t a permanent cure for this condition.
Many patients treat their melasma with sunblock and hormone management.
Other patients have found that a chemical peel benefits their melasma as well. If you’re noticing an increase in pigmentation problems, try a chemical peel for dark spots.
5. Soften Fine Lines
There are three main types of chemical peels you can choose from, ranging from mild to deep. Each formula can help treat different skin issues. The best option for deep scars and wrinkles, however, is a deep peel.
Unlike other peels, which may require more than one treatment, a single deep chemical peel often provides results after one session. However, you’ll need longer (about six to 12 months) to heal after a deep peel.
Deep peels are popular among older consumers.
These peels can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles near the forehead, eyes, and mouth. For moderate lines, a medium-peel is also effective.
After a medium or deep peel, make sure to protect your skin from the sun. Wear a hat and a layer of SPF sunscreen. Otherwise, you could permanently change your skin’s texture or color.
Protecting your skin after a deep chemical peel will also help prolong the treatment’s results.
6. Reduce Acne Marks
Some chemical peels can help ease your acne breakouts. They can also help reduce scarring from skin blemishes.
Chemical peels unclog your pores and remove blackheads from the surface of your skin.
At the same time, they’re also able to deposit ingredients into the skin that help your post-pimple marks fade away.
The best chemical peel for acne will contact salicylic and lactic acid. Salicylic acid also lingers in your skin’s pores. This allows the acid to keep the pores clear over a period of time.
You can also ask about acids like trichloroacetic acid to help scars fade away.
Unlike resurfacing lasers, choosing a chemical peel will require no downtime. It’s also safe for all skin tones. A surfacing laser could also result in an acne flare-up, so a chemical peel benefits acne-prone skin better than this alternative treatment.
7. Easily Customizable
The market for chemical peel facial rejuvenation is expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2026. One of the reasons for this popularity is the fact that chemical peels are low-risk. They’re safe for every skin color and don’t come with a risk of hyperpigmentation.
Doctors can also mix and match different acids to address specific skin concerns.
Since chemical peels are easily customizable, you don’t have to worry about a one-size-fits-all approach to your skin!
Peel Back These Benefits: 7 Amazing, Often Unknown Chemical Peel Benefits
Ready to peel back these benefits? Now that you know about all the ways a chemical peel benefits the skin, give it a try!