Visible facial veins, which have many different names (spider veins, telangiectasias, angiomas), are actually dilated blood vessels. They are usually found on the forehead, nose, cheeks, eyelids, neck and upper chest. Visible veins are most commonly seen in fair-skinned women and usually appear during their forties and fifties. Blood vessel dilation is due to weakening of the elastic fibers in the walls of the blood vessel. Although the exact mechanisms leading to blood vessel dilation are not understood, visible veins are associated with excessive sun exposure, normal aging, steroid use, liver disease, genetics, radiation therapy and trauma. On the face, visible veins can range in size from the tip of a pencil to bigger than a pencil eraser. Visible veins may be even larger on sites other than the face.
Visible veins are often considered to be a cosmetic issue. However, they can be found in people with rosacea, liver disease, and more rarely, autoimmune disease. Hormonal changes can be associated with visible veins as well.
General Procedure
Lasers are used to remove many facial veins. Vascular lasers are designed to target a component of blood called hemoglobin. Vascular lasers destroy the blood vessel, leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. The side effects of laser therapy can include pain (similar to a rubber band snap) and temporary purpura (purple pigmentation of the skin similar to bruising). The purpura usually resolves in a day or two. The risk of scarring is low. Distinct facial spider veins and broken capillaries which are easy to target, are usually completely eliminated by only one to two treatments with this laser.