FACE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS ON LEGS
FACE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: HOW DOES AGING AFFECT VEINS AND VESSELS?
Face veins, spider veins on legs, and neck and chest veins:
Face veins and leg veins can become unsightly. Over time, several factors contribute to the appearance of broken vessels on the face, neck and chest:
- Genetics
- Exposure to the elements (sun, wind, failure to moisturize)
- Underlying disorders (acne rosacea, liver disease, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc)
Broken, prominent, and tortuous veins and red spots appear on the face, neck, and chest as we age, leading to unsightly blotchy skin secondary to the face veins and leg veins.
If these vessels and red spots are caught early, one can reduce the changes over time. The phrase we often hear “I don’t want to end up red like my grand-dad” is often heard! There is no reason, with modern techniques that are now available, for us to look as weathered as our ancestors!
The best way to treat the face veins, leg veins, red spots and vessels is by using appropriate lasers with careful attention being paid to the wavelength of the laser beams, the fluence and duration. Multiple different wavelengths, used at different settings are needed to adequately and efficiently treat these veins. These treatments are administered every few weeks with most people needing four to five treatments. A review of the skin once every six to nine months allows treatment of any new vessels that appear. We have patients more than 10 years out now whose skin looks better now than it did ten years ago!
FACE VEINS
There are different types of veins that are seen on the face.
A) Face Veins and spider veins on the grooves of the nose (called the alar veins):
More than 80% of women will develop prominent vessels in these alar grooves and also within the nostrils. These are more prominent with advanced sun damage and after menopause. They can be difficult to cover with makeup. However, fine medium and long wavelength lasers (532 nm, 940 nm, 1964 nm) can be safely used to improve these vessels.
B) Cheek Veins:
Face veins and spider veins can occur in many parts of the face and for many reasons. Although patients with acne rosacea will have more of a tendency to have cheek and nose vessels, which become much more prominent with alcohol, cold, etc, cheek and nose vessels also show up over time because of genetic predisposition and sun damage. The skin thins as we age and the vessels become more tortuous and proliferate, partly in response to the trauma of sun damage, wind, dryness, etc. Whereas lasers will not cure acne rosacea, they can certainly give a very marked improvement in the appearance of the cheeks and the nose.
C) Prominent temple and periorbital veins (blue veins) are a specific type of face veins:
Until recently, little could be done for unsightly prominent veins in the periorbital and temple regions. These generally show up as blue lines: the vessels are bigger than the telangiectasis one sees on the cheeks and the nose. These vessels are almost always genetic in nature and are not related to exposure to the elements.
With the help of longer wavelength lasers (940 nm and 1064 Yag lasers), these vessels can be shrunk enough to give a very satisfactory improvement in the appearance without affecting the flow of blood from structures on the face! We mustn’t forget the extremely important venous supply of the face which is vital to our wellbeing.
D) Neck and chest veins: blotchy red neck and chest:
Most people still forget to protect the neck and the chest from the elements. Subsequently, we see more damaged skin affecting the neck and the chest than we do the face, as most people are aware of the importance of using a good sunscreen on the face. If are unsure of the damage the sun can cause have a look at this long-distance lorry driver, who, after years of exposure of the left side of his face in his driver’s cap, developed the changes seen:
Neck and chest veins: blotchy red neck and chest:
The neck and chest changes can be effectively treated, again using several different types of lasers and chemical peels to give extremely good results as seen.
The mistake made by many commercial spas is only one wavelength is used, giving reasonable, but not brilliant results. Understanding the physiology and anatomy or normal, sun-damaged, and aging skin is vital to allow the surgeon to use the best modalities to give the types of results that can only be described as “wow”(or “wowzer”, if you are a Kiwi).
“Well, the last time I had a picture taken I could hardly see my eyes because of the weight of heavy eyelid. Then I paid attention to how I was actually using my eyes and I really noticed when I was looking at anything especially the computer I was straining my forehead to see better. Since I have had it done I no longer have to lift the forehead and tilt my head to see. It is amazing! I love…” D. Rock 63 Yrs Old with Fat Droopy Eyes – Salt Lake City, UT
FACE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS ON LEGS: HOW DOES LASER TREATMENT WORK?
Vascular laser treatment is effective because the laser light is absorbed into the blood that flows through the targeted vessels because of its pigment. The absorption converts light into heat energy, which raises the temperature of the blood. During the treatment, the heat generated from the vascular laser coagulates the blood inside the vessel, causing it to collapse and seal.
Some vessels may show visible disappearance immediately after treatment, while other destroyed vessel may be less visible or lighter in appearance. The laser vein treatment works by causing the unwanted vessel to collapse, and over a period of time, your body will slowly reabsorb that vessel, similar to a healing bruise. This process can take up to several weeks.
HOW MANY TREATMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR FACE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS?
Depending on the severity of the vessels, multiple facial vein removal treatments may be required. Your cosmetic physician should be able to tell you beforehand how many treatments you may need. On average, at least three facial broken capillary treatments are required initially. Improvement lasts for some time, but over time new veins will develop, requiring a touch-up treatment at a later date.
FACE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: POST-TREATMENT
Dr. Patel will discuss preventative measures that will help reduce further damage that necessitates additional laser treatment for facial veins. An effective sunscreen of SPF 50 must be worn daily directly post laser treatment, as your skin can be highly sensitive to the effects of UVA and UVB rays. Dr Patel will also discuss a medical grade skincare routine consisting of vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C to assist with maintaining your refreshed look.
LEG VEINS
These types of a varicose veins, tend to be the ones that can be seen more when standing upright, rather than sitting down. Such veins can appear more on the skin or under the skin, but both can be through the skin and are often a greenish blue color. When people have this type of a varicose vein present in their leg, arms or hands, usually they don’t have any symptoms from the vein itself and very rarely do they actually become a health problem for the patient. While these can be seen through the skin, they are even more visible for people that have fairer skin. Like most of your other treatments here, Sclerotherapy is going to be the treatment of choice for most cases of Reticular Varicose veins. Though in some cases, you may be considered for avulsion. This treatment uses small incisions into and around the area of the veins to destroy the veins.
LEG VEINS: TELANGICTASIA VARICOSE VEINS
Even though these are called “varicose” veins they are not the same exact ones that you think of when you hear the word varicose. Instead, these are tiny dilations inside of the capillaries. These are not harmful, they can be operated on if necessary i.e.; if they do hold a certain color characteristic to them or they are bothering you. But, for the most part, people tend to just leave them be. Two of the more common options as far as treatments go with Telangiectasia Varicose Veins are microinjections of a chemical compound to get rid of them or laser injections. However, in some smaller cases, lasers may also be used. It really depends on your age, the color and shape of the veins, as well as the appearance of the veins.
It should be remembered that whereas on the face, almost all undesireable veins can be treated with a number of different lasers, when it comes to leg veins, sclerotherapy is still king. Lasers alone simply do not give the types of results we can get with sequential sclerotherapy.
“I had a excellent eye lift done by Dr. Patel. He knows what he is doing and is very pleasant. Dr.Patel was easy to get an appointment and he works with you. The office staff was very pleasant and made you feel calm.” D. Gull Highly recommended for eye lift surgery – Salt Lake City, UT
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Contact Info
Dr. BCK Patel MD, FRCS
1025E 3300S
Salt Lake City, Utah 84106, USA
(801) 413-3599 (phone/text)
E-Mail: bckpatelmd@gmail.com
bckpatel.info
Dr. BCK Patel MD, FRCS
617 E Riverside Dr Suite 101
Saint George, UT 84790, USA
(435) 215-0014
E: drbckpatel@gmail.com
