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General HealthDiseases and conditionsUnsightly veins on my thighs
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Unsightly veins on my thighs

by Dr Howard Lee

question
What causes broken veins under the skin, specifically on the thighs?

answer
There are various descriptions of these small veins, which often do burst or break just under the skin surface - these are known as 'thread veins', 'spider veins', 'flare veins' and 'capillary veins'. They tend to occur more commonly on the cheeks, nose and legs. The tiny ones tend to be red in colour, but when larger they appear to look purplish.

These small veins are present in everyone but are not normally visible until they expand and show through the skin. There are various reasons why they become more visible - one of these can be too much sun over the years, another is pregnancy. They may also be an inherited problem, being more obvious after mid-life because the skin has become thinner and some of the under skin layers are absorbed during later life with the veins becoming more obviously exposed.

Often this type of vein will appear alongside varicose veins of one sort or another, and people who develop the thread veins have examples of other types of varicose veins in other areas because both types of vein appearance are probably caused by the same factors.

Up to 20 per cent of the adult population have varicose veins, and many know of other family members with the same problem. Environmental factors - such as standing - does tend to aggravate the condition on the lower limbs. Diet may also be a factor, although factors such as puberty, pregnancy and the menopause also affect the course of the condition.

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