Laser Treatments
Facial Telangiectasias

Facial Spider Veins, or Telangiectasia, are one of the most common facial skin conditions for which patients seek treatment. These unsightly dilated blood vessels are seen almost exclusively in patients with fair skin, and are often associated with chronic sun exposure, rosacea, overuse of cortisone creams and certain autoimmune diseases, and occasionally they may be hereditary. In many cases, the exact cause is unknown.

Unlike leg veins, which are induced and aggravated by gravity, facial telangiectasia are usually capillaries or small arteries (arterioles) in the papillary dermis, with weakened elastic fibers in their walls which allow them to dilate and become visible, and despite their common name, they are not true “veins”.

Treatment of Facial Telangiectasia: The laser makes use of the principle of selective photothermolysis to coagulate abnormal blood vessels while sparing the surrounding tissue. No anesthesia is needed for treatment of facial telangiectasia. The laser pulses feel like little “snaps”, and can be easily tolerated by most clients. Air cooling is used on the skin to increase comfort and decrease superficial blistering. After the proper laser settings are made, the individual vessels are “traced” with individual laser pulses.

In some cases, especially in larger, telangiectasia around the nose, there may be an improvement instead of complete resolution. Occasionally, the telangiectasia may at first appear worse than before treatment, and then disappear within a few weeks or months. It is much safer to re-treat than to run the risk of scarring-anticipate a re-treatment about a month after the initial treatment for best results.