|
|
 |
| Facial Capillaries |
INTRODUCTION
Take a close look at your face: if you can see networks of small, red or bluish lines visible just under the skin, you may have facial capillaries. Although everyone has capillaries (blood vessels that connect arteries to veins), they are not usually visible. However, if the capillaries become abnormally enlarged, you may be able to see them. Enlarged, visible facial capillaries appear most often around the nose and on the cheeks, and are often referred to as "broken blood vessels" by patients. Physicians call these dilated blood vessels telangiectases (tell-an-jek-ta-zes).
Photodamage caused by overexposure to the sun is the most common cause of facial capillaries. They occur more frequently with age and in fair-skinned people. However, genetic predisposition, personal habits (such as smoking and excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption), and medical conditions such as rosacea can also cause facial capillaries to develop.
Once facial capillaries develop, there is no way to permanently shrink them. However, they can be safely removed by laser treatment. The intense, pulsating beams of laser light target the damaged vessels under the surface of the skin and blast them into oblivion.
Most physicians require that you come in for a consultation prior to beginning laser treatment. During this consultation, your physician will examine your skin type and the distribution of facial capillaries to determine what type of treatment will work best for your situation. He or she will want to discuss your expectations and explore the factors that may have contributed to your having developed facial capillaries. Once you have agreed on a treatment plan and discussed ways to prevent further damage to your skin, you'll set the date for the first of what will probably be a series of laser treatments.
| WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
About the ProcedureWho Is a Candidate?Preparing for TreatmentQuestions to Ask Your DoctorPainRecoveryRisksCosts
More to Know |
|
 |
|
