McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
What is the difference between varicose veins and thread veins?
Dr Alex Vesey is our expert consultant vascular surgeon who heads up our varicose vein team at McKeown Medical. Here, he discusses the difference between varicose veins and thread veins.
Published by Dr Alex Vesey
Date posted — 19.08.24
Varicose veins and thread veins, or spider veins, differ in appearance, size, and symptoms.
Varicose veins are large, swollen, and twisted veins that bulge above the skin’s surface, often appearing blue or dark purple. They usually develop in the legs and can cause discomfort, pain, and a heavy feeling.
Thread veins are much smaller, thin, and web-like, appearing just beneath the skin. They are red, blue, or purple and typically painless.
While varicose veins can lead to more serious health issues, thread veins are primarily a cosmetic concern. Both conditions result from poor circulation, but varicose veins are generally more severe.
We offer a range of treatment options for varicose veins including VenaSeal™ – the most up to date method of treating varicose veins that causes less pain and allows you to get back to normal almost immediately, without the hassle of wearing bandages or compression stockings.
Get in touch with our friendly team and we’ll help you find the right varicose vein treatment for you.
Related Articles
General
Exploring different treatments to get rid of varicose veins
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that often appear just under the skin, primarily in the legs and feet.
General
Everything you need to know about VenaSeal™ vein treatment
When it comes to treating varicose veins, VenaSeal™ has emerged as a revolutionary option that offers a minimally invasive and...
General
Your guide to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment of varicose veins
If you're struggling with the discomfort, swelling, or unsightly appearance of varicose veins, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) could be the solution...
1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3
General
Exploring different treatments to get rid of varicose veins
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that often appear just under the skin, primarily in the legs and feet.
General
Everything you need to know about VenaSeal™ vein treatment
When it comes to treating varicose veins, VenaSeal™ has emerged as a revolutionary option that offers a minimally invasive and...
General
Your guide to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment of varicose veins
If you're struggling with the discomfort, swelling, or unsightly appearance of varicose veins, Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) could be the solution...
Another life changing result for one of our patients.
This patient`s main concern was the static lines etched into her skin around her mouth, so we opted for full field resurfacing.
She is just a month out from treatment and still has a little background redness but already very happy with where things are heading. What do you think?
This is another one of our resurfacing patients a year down the line, when the skin is fully healed and the results have had a chance to mature.
No other type of laser or resurfacing can do this - other than full ablation. The patient is loving life with her new smooth skin!
If you are interested in this treatment, send a pic by PM and we will get back to you.
Laser season continues with a vengeance! This is one of our patients just a couple of weeks after full field resurfacing.
She is already delighted with the improvement she has achieved, which continues to improve up until 6 months. What do you think?
Thank you soooo much to the two sisters who sent us this card this week. Every single one of us were a bit emotional that a patient felt strongly enough about us to go to this amount of effort!
We love what we do and we love our patients too - it’s nice to know the feeling is mutual 🥰
Today our vascular surgeon - the very lovely Dr Alex - had his first varicose veins clinic in our new premises.
Both he and the patients have had a great time and we have now booked up our first VenaSeal™ list of 2025!
It`s exciting times ahead for the whole team as we grow into our new home and bring new services on board!
Check the link in our bio for more about VenaSeal™.
We often post photos of our patients a few weeks or months after their treatment, but what does their skin look like longer term?
This is one of our patients who had full resurfacing almost a year ago. We posted her photos earlier this year not long after the treatment, but we wanted to share this update now coming up to her first year anniversary of her new skin.
She is still thrilled with her results! What do you think?
As we come towards the end of another spectacular year with this spectacular team, it was time for our annual festive celebration together.
This year we spent the weekend at Gleneagles, and what an incredible time we all had! Thank you to each and every member of our incredible team for making our business so amazing in what we deliver together for our patients 🎄🎅🌟
Ok, I promise we will stop showing off our new interiors and get back to posting normal content next week, but before we get back to business as usual I had to share these pics of the hallway. It`s one of my favourite features of the building.
All of the traditional panelling, skirtings, doors and frames had been removed from the building and so we re-created the old world feel of quality and luxury whilst complying with modern building and standards and healthcare regulations. It was a complex challenge to make it all work together but I am so proud of where we got to with it.
Seeing our patients` reactions this week has made it all worthwhile!
So this is where the magic happens on Bath Street!
This is my own treatment room, just off my fancy new office. I have to say, it`s an absolute dream to work here. I`ve already treated over 100 patients on this chair so far this week.
Who`s up next week?
Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest results and expert insights from the clinic team.
Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help you as you navigate your journey with us.
When you first make contact with us you will be assigned your own personal Patient Relationship Manager. They’ll start by understanding your needs and liaising with our doctors to book you an appointment with the most suitable specialist. For any additional questions or needs, you can message or call them anytime and they’ll be delighted to assist you. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible treatment and care tailored to your needs.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news from McKeown Medical and get access to expert insights, our latest before and afters and exclusive offers.
