Broken blood vessels, also called spider veins, commonly occur on the face and lower legs. These unsightly vessels are typically caused by chronic sun damage to the skin, but they may also be related to medical conditions like rosacea or your family history. When the blood vessels are weakened, they become larger and may break, leaking tiny amounts of blood into the surrounding skin. This blood in the surrounding tissue causes a red or “ruddy” complexion.
Broken blood vessels, also called spider veins, commonly occur on the face and lower legs. These unsightly vessels are typically caused by chronic sun damage to the skin, but they may also be related to medical conditions like rosacea or your family history. When the blood vessels are weakened, they become larger and may break, leaking tiny amounts of blood into the surrounding skin. This blood in the surrounding tissue causes a red or “ruddy” complexion.
Some factors may worsen the red color of the surrounding skin, including direct sunlight exposure, heat, alcohol consumption, smoking, and/or stress. In order to best treat the appearance of broken blood vessels, the vessels themselves need to be shrunk to prevent blood leakage from them.
One of the most common and relatively painless methods of shrinking superficial blood vessels in the skin is the use of vascular laser therapy, such as the Excel V laser. In addition, sometimes sclerotherapy, or the injection of a material to occlude, or block, the vessel, is used as treatment for broken vessels and spider veins.
At Cenla Dermatology, we offer a wide range of services for prevention and treatment of broken blood vessels and spider veins. These include medical grade skincare, prescription medications, chemical peels, and laser devices. By appropriately treating the background ruddy complexion and broken blood vessels, you can reveal a more even, youthful appearance to your skin.
Treatment options for broken blood vessels
Excel V is considered one of the most powerful vascular lasers on the market. A vascular laser is designed to treat many types of blood vessel concerns in the skin, and our physicians have been using Excel V for many years in all skin types with amazing results.
Excel V treats the following skin concerns:
What to expect with Excel V treatment
Most patients require 2-5 treatments with the Excel V laser, spaced one month apart, for effective correction of broken blood vessels. The size, location, and number of blood vessels in addition to the amount of background redness will determine the number of treatments needed. Since broken blood vessels are considered a cosmetic concern, your insurance will not cover the cost of this treatment.
Treatment with Excel V usually produces minimal discomfort for a few minutes during the treatment. Since we take comfort seriously at Cenla Dermatology, we offer topical numbing agents should you require them. After treatment, patients may experience some slight swelling around the treated area for a couple of days, depending on the severity of your redness. However, most patients resume normal activities immediately after treatment.
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