It happens unexpectedly. You look in the mirror and suddenly notice that you have several little red lines on your nose, mouth, chin or cheeks. How did these little red facial veins appear and what can do you do about them?
We will take a look at what causes small red veins to appear on your face and explore some treatment options that may help you reduce their appearance.
What Causes Tiny Red Facial Veins to Appear?
Most tiny red veins that appear on your face are caused by a condition known as telangiectasia. Telangiectasia happens when the blood vessels that are closest to the surface of your skin break or widen. When the blood vessels widen or break, it causes them to stretch out and instantly become visible.
Several factors are believed to cause people to develop telangiectasia. Some of the factors that have been linked to telangiectasia include:
- Having a fair skin tone
- Prolonged exposure to wind and sun
- Genetics
- Taking medications that are known to widen blood vessels throughout the body
- Pregnancy
- Untreated acne
- Using topical corticosteroids for prolonged periods of time
- Trauma that caused damage to the skin
- Incisions from surgical procedures
- Changes in hormone levels
Is Telangiectasia Serious?
While it may be distressing and somewhat embarrassing to see small red facial veins appear on your face, it usually is not a sign of a serious health problem. It is more of a cosmetic problem.
However, in very rare cases telangiectasia can often be an early indicator that there are other serious health problems developing. Serious health problems that have been linked to telangiectasia include:
- Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome
- Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome
- Bloom syndrome
- Ataxia telangiectasia
- Rosacea
- Sturge-Weber disease
- Liver disease
- Lupus
- Scleroderma
Most people who develop telangiectasia do not have any of these health problems. However, because there is a small risk that you may develop these serious health problems it is a good idea to see a doctor. A doctor can run further testing and determine if the telangiectasia is a cosmetic problem or if it is caused by a serious health problem.
Treatment Options for Telangiectasia
There are several treatment options that have proven to be extremely successful in reducing the appearance of tiny red facial veins. Treatment options that have been used include:
- Topical or oral antibiotics to treat visible veins caused by rosacea or acne
- Laser vein treatment
- Surgical procedures that widen the blood vessels
- Sclerotherapy
- VeinWave
Call Vein & Vascular Institute today to schedule an appointment with our vein specialist. Our vein specialist will provide you with treatment recommendations that will successfully reduce or eliminate the appearance of tiny red facial veins.