Facial veins can be either tiny fine thread veins or larger reticular veins. The tiny thread veins (also called telangiectasia or broken capillaries) are less than 1mm. They tend to be red, pink, or purple and are the most common around the nose and on the cheeks.
The larger reticular vessels are normally 1-3mm and green or blue in color. These larger veins tend to be seen around the temples, jaw, and eyes. These vessels can cause swelling and a red appearance to the skin.
The vessel size, location, and color determine the most effective treatment, which is why it is important to have someone with experience treating over 10,000 venous cases.
Facial veins often look like tiny branches or webs. They’re usually red, purple, or pink for the tiny vessels or blue and green for larger vessels. But, unlike varicose veins (the larger ropy veins generally occurring in the legs), spider veins don’t tend to protrude from the skin.
Facial veins can develop for many reasons, including:
The first task is determining what caused your facial veins through a complete medical history and skin exam.
If a temporary change, like hormone fluctuations during pregnancy or extremely hot weather, caused facial veins to look worse, they may fade away on their own. In most cases, facial veins linger and look more vivid over time. In this case, they may require treatment.
The two most effective treatments for facial veins are:
Laser therapy involves focused light photons directed straight into the facial veins. The light transforms into heat, which damages and shrinks the vein walls. The pulse dye laser (PDL) is used to remove small facial veins and reduce associated redness. The team recommends several treatments to get the best results and eliminate the old vein tissue over time.
The Nd:YAG laser uses pulses of light to reduce the appearance of facial veins. It heats the vessel, irritating the venous walls so that they collapse and close. The team also uses this laser tool to treat deeper purple or blue vessels on the face.
The Colorado Skin and Vein team can explain both of these options and help you decide which fits your needs.
With more than 20 years of specialized vein treatment and aesthetics medicine experience, the team has the unique skills needed to treat your facial veins. We will get you beautiful results and the tools to maintain long-lasting results.
If you have facial veins, you can eliminate them with nonsurgical treatments at Colorado Skin and Vein. Book your appointment online or call the office to schedule your consultation with the vein experts today.