Telangiectasias or Facial Spider Veins
What are Telangiectasias?
Telangiectasias or Facial Spider Veins
Are formed by the dilation of a small group of blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. Although they can appear anywhere on the body, spider veins are most commonly found on the face and legs and look like red or purple sunbursts or web patterns. Spider veins are also referred to as telangiectasias or broken capillaries.
What Causes Telangiectasias?
No one knows for sure. They often occur in healthy people and are more common in women. States of high levels of estrogen can contribute, such as in pregnancy and in women on oral contraceptives. Telangiectasias are also common in patients with rosacea.
How Can I Treat Telangiectasias?
Electrodesiccation can be used to effectively treat broken facial capillaries.
What is Electrodesiccation?
Electrodesiccation is a type of electrosurgery. A small electric current passes through a fine needle. The application of this current can seal off small blood vessels.
Will the Treatment be Permanent?
Once treated, many vessels will be destroyed permanently. Sometimes however, for a variety of reasons, not all of the vessels can be treated at once. You may need a touch-up procedure. Additionally, patients are often prone to developing new lesions in the future. These can easily be treated at a later session.
Will the Treatment be Painful?
Dr. Septon can partially numb the area with a topical numbing cream. This cream can be applied one to two hours prior to the procedure. With the medicine, you may still feel a little bit of stinging. The discomfort is mild and tolerable for most patients. It resolves immediately after the electrical needle is removed from the vessel. Your eyes may tear- this is a quite common occurrence during procedures on the face.
What Are the Side Effects of Electrodesiccation?
Crusting at the treated sites.
This is minimal and will resolve within a day or two.
Red, raised areas at the treated sites.
These should disappear in a few days. They can often be covered with makeup.
Bruises at the treated sites.
When treating facial telangiectasias, these are usually pinpoint dark red spots. These will resolve and are likely due to the thinness of the blood vessel walls.
Brown spots on the skin at the sites of treated blood vessels.
These are quite uncommon when treating small facial vessels and usually they disappear. They are due to blood escaping from treated vessels.
Are There Other Treatment Methods for Facial Telangiectasias?
Laser surgery and intense pulsed light therapy destroy vessels using intense heat.
Camouflaging Makeups can cover up some telangiectasias. This method does not treat the underlying vessels.
OF COURSE, DO NOT TAKE ANY MEDICATION TO WHICH YOU ARE ALLERGIC.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
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