Thread veins can be a real pain; they appear when weakened blood vessels remain dilated so that red, purple or blue spidery lines can be seen through the surface of the skin. They can appear anywhere on the body, although the face and legs are commonly most affected.
They are thought to be caused by changes in hormones or certain chronic skin conditions such as rosacea. People are also more likely to develop thread veins if their parents have them too.
As such, it can be difficult to predict whether you will develop them and even more difficult to know whether you can prevent them from appearing in the first place. Thread vein removal treatments are available for those who already suffer from them, but there are some things you can do to make them less likely:
Food
A healthy, balanced diet is always recommended to promote good health, but those high in antioxidants are thought to strengthen the blood vessel walls, making them less likely to remain dilated.
Exercise
Too much sitting down or standing up can increase the risk of getting thread veins. As blood collects in the legs, the pressure in the blood vessels can increase resulting in permanently dilated veins. The same can occur if a person is pregnant or overweight.
