Facial Veins
Facial spider veins, or telangiectasias as they are sometimes called, are the small thin clusters of blue, red or purple veins, close to the surface of the skin. Facial veins are dilated blood vessels that can be found on the nose, cheeks forehead, eyelids, neck and chest. The dilation is due to weakened vessel walls most often associated with excessive sun exposure, aging, diseases (such as rosacea, liver disease or some autoimmune disease), trauma, heredity, hormones, and certain medications. Broken capillaries on the face are present without any significant symptoms. When associated with rosacea however some will experience burning or flushing sensations. These surface veins are of no benefit and are often considered to be a cosmetic problem.
Facial veins can vary in size from very tiny to a few millimeters. Treatment of facial veins can vary depending on the underlying cause. If caused by rosacea, oral and topical medications and often relieve redness and assist in keeping the veins at bay. Usually a combination of laser treatments are needed eliminate the veins.
There is no cure for the facial spider veins and there is no way to prevent new ones from appearing. Treatment modalities are designed to eliminate existing veins, assist with symptom relief and to keep new ones from progressing into the larger unsightly veins. Specific treatments include: Electrocautery which uses an electric current to destroy the vessel through a small needle; Sclerotherapy injections to irritant and stimulate the vein to shut down; Laser treatments which use high sources of light to target the blood in the veins to destroy the vessel and keep the skin intact; and IPL or (intense pulsed light) treatments which use a broadband spectrum of light to target and destroy the broken capillaries. Treatments for eliminating facial veins can range in cost from $200- $1000 per visit. |
