Telangiectasia, known as spider veins on the face, is a skin problem characterized by the appearance of thin, red veins on the skin.
Telangiectasia, popularly known as spider veins or spider veins, is a common skin problem, especially in fair skin. It is characterized by the appearance of thin, red veins on the skin, especially on the face, nose, lips and cheeks, but which also appear on other parts of the body.
Normally, it does not characterize a serious problem, just a change in the skin and in some cases it is accompanied by a slight sensation of itching or pain. In this case, the biggest discomfort is the aesthetic issue, as the skin becomes red and the veins are clearly visible.
Until now, medicine has not been able to identify the true causes of this change, but it is generally a benign problem caused by excessive sun exposure and alcohol consumption. But it is also related to a genetic predisposition. Furthermore, there is still no definitive cure for spider veins on the face, but there are some treatment options to help improve the appearance of the skin.
Therefore, today we will better understand the main causes and also the treatments available for spider veins on the face.
Main causes of spider veins on the face
As previously stated, medicine has not yet fully understood all the causes of the appearance of spider veins on the face. However, it is already known that some genetic and external factors are related to the greater or lesser risk of the patient suffering from this change. Among the main ones we can mention the following:
- Excessive sun exposure;
- Exaggerated consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- Pregnancy;
- Skin aging;
- Genetic predisposition;
- Frequent use of corticosteroids;
- Acne;
- Obesity;
- Trauma;
- Long exposure to heat or cold
- Rosacea.
All of these factors increase the dilation and inflammation of blood vessels, making them more visible on the skin. However, in rarer cases, telangiectasia appears as a symptom of a more serious disease, being caused by liver disease, Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome, Sturge-Weber disease or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
Diagnosis of telangiectasia
Before resorting to any treatment, it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis of telangiectasia. And this is done by a dermatologist who will observe the changes in the skin, and may request some precise tests, such as a computed tomography or X-ray. All of this to identify whether there are other diseases that may be behind the appearance of the spider veins on the face.
As it is a vascular problem, that is, the veins that are located below the epidermis, there is no effective treatment using cosmetics or topical medication. However, some topical antibiotics used to treat acne and rosacea can even help reduce redness and inflammation in the region. However, as it does not act on the vessels, it is not capable of solving the problem.
In this sense, cosmetic products with vitamin K in their composition can help soften the appearance of spider veins on the face. However, it does not offer a permanent effect, so it requires regular reapplication to disguise it. Remembering that this is not a treatment for telangiectasia, just a way to soften its appearance.
Treatments
There are effective treatments that have proven their effectiveness in solving the problem of spider veins on the face, including: laser, sclerotherapy and, ultimately, surgery.
The laser, in turn, acts directly on the spider veins, increasing the temperature there and closing the vessels, leaving them less visible. In this treatment option, the most common is the Nd: YAG Laser, but it is not the only one that acts on the blood vessels in this region of the skin.
The treatment consists of at least two or three sessions and can only be carried out by professionals specialized in using this type of laser. It can be a little painful and takes on average a week to heal. And despite being a permanent treatment, there is no guarantee that the problem will not return over time.
Sclerotherapy consists of a substance, a type of foam that is injected into the vessels with the aim of making them “dry”. However, this option is currently exclusive to the lower limbs, and it is not possible to do it on the spider veins on the face.
And finally surgery, which is only recommended in serious cases in which the telangiectasia is very extensive and/or related to some disease. The procedure consists of a small cut on the face to remove the spider veins. Among all the treatments, this is the one that offers the best results. However, it can leave a small scar and the recovery process is more painful.
Prevention
There are no homemade and natural ways to treat spider veins on the face. However, there are ways to prevent its appearance. Therefore, the main recommendation to prevent telangiectasia is to be extra careful with sun protection. In other words, always use a sunscreen with a high protection factor and reapplication regularly. In addition, of course, avoid staying in the sun for a long time.
Another prevention tip is to avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. As well as avoiding products or procedures that are very aggressive to the skin, which can increase the inflammation and proliferation of spider veins. Products with retinoic acid are an example of this. Despite being one of the best ingredients for treating aging acne, it stimulates the proliferation of vessels and should therefore be avoided in cases of telangiectasia.
Anyway, what did you think of this article? In fact, take the opportunity to also check out Rosacea – What it is, symptoms, causes and treatment.
Sources: Universa Tua Saúde Medium
Images: Marie Claire Mais Estética Invasc Viva Bem Inova
