“Dr. Seckel, I have broken blood vessels around my nose and on my cheeks. I use concealer and foundation, but would love to get rid of them permanently. What would you suggest?” –Caitlin, Boston, Massachusetts
Dear Caitlin,
Broken blood vessels or capillaries around the nose and cheeks are very common in fair skinned people especially after the age of 40. These individual vessels are called Telangiectasias. In some people the vessels are so numerous that they cause an intense red flushed appearance on the face, a condition we call Rosacea.
Several factors contribute to the appearance of telangiectasias and Rosacea. First, these conditions are more common in fair skinned people because there is little pigment in the skin to hide the red color-essentially you can see through the white skin and see the red color of the blood in the blood vessel.
Also after age 40 the skin becomes thinner due to atrophy or wasting of the skin associated with aging. (See chapter 2-Under The microscope in “Save Your face).
Finally, I believe that damage to the skin by sunlight, environmental toxins, and free radicals generated within our own body causes inflammation in the skin. The body’s response to this inflammation is to produce new small blood vessels in the skin. Hormone fluctuations also play a role in new blood vessel proliferation. (See chapter 3-aging-Cellular Suicide in Save Your Face).
Much can be done to remove these blood vessels and help prevent new ones from forming. First, sun block, a healthy diet, antioxidant vitamins, and a gentle effective face cream containing a Vitamin C ester are a good start at prevention. (See chapter4-How To save Your Face-Feed Your Mind, Body, and Spirit in “Save Your Face).
Excellent lasers and IPL or Photofacial machines are available to remove the vessels that are already present. I use a laser to close down or remove the blood vessels. The treatment takes minutes, requires no anesthesia, is done in the office, and you leave with small red lines where the blood vessels were removed, lines which are easily covered with makeup. The redness goes away in a day or so and there is no “down time.
For patients who have Rosacea, the entire flushed area can be treated very effectively with an IPL or Photo facial machine called the LuxGreen during which light is flashed over the entire flushed area instead of focusing on the individual blood vessel.( See Chapter 8-High-tech Facial rejuvenation in Save Your face).
For more information about laser skin care visit my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice, read Save Your Face or contact me.
Dr. Seckel
Boston, Massachusetts