Spider veins, also known under the medical name telangiectasia, can occur anywhere on the body. Spider veins are small dilated capillaries that take on a visibly pronounced and web-like appearance on the skin. These twisted blood vessels can also easily be spotted by their red, purple, or bluish hues relatively close to the surface of the skin. The color of the hues varies based on a person’s skin type and melanin levels, but most view the vibrant vein colors as particularly unsightly features on the body. Spider veins can be particularly bothersome to a person if the prominent veins appear on highly visible areas such as the face.
The Cause of Spider Veins
It’s important to note that spider veins are damaged vessels of the circulatory system. There are three main types of blood vessels. These include arteries, veins, and capillaries. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and feed the oxygen-rich blood into the body’s tissues. Veins are designed to be one-way valves that help direct blood back to the heart.
If the valves break down and blood subsequently pools within a vein instead of flowing back to its intended destination of the heart, then the affected vessel can visibly manifest itself into different forms of venous insufficiency. Capillaries are the smallest of the blood vessels and serve to connect the flow between the arteries and the veins.
Broken Capillaries on the Face
Capillaries can “break” by external trauma such as UV damage, extreme temperature changes, or aggressive pimple popping. However, genetics can also predispose a person to develop these obtrusive red splotches on their nose, chin, or cheek. Although, any ethnicity can experience broken capillaries they are more prevalent in fairer skinned individuals.
Unfortunately for us all, broken capillaries can worsen and become more visible as we age. Sunscreen and treating skin as delicately as possible are often touted as some of the best defenses to keep capillaries in-tact.
Spider Vein Treatment in New York
Laser veins treatment is one of the most effective methods to eradicate spider veins of the face. The in-office procedure utilizes light energy to target the pigment in blood to selectively heat and destroy the enlarged and damaged vein without harming surrounding tissue.
Broken blood vessels can be a frustrating experience when even a sneeze can cause a capillary to break, but there are a number of treatments available to restore the beauty to your skin. If you are interested in treating spider veins on the face or body, please schedule a consultation with Metropolitan Vein & Aesthetic Center to learn more about which treatment is best for you.