Your complexion, your face, your skin – all three can say a lot about you and, unfortunately, your age. Facial veins are a common skin condition that do not cause physical harm but are a detriment to a youthful-looking complexion for men and women alike. Facial veins are considered cosmetic in nature, therefore, their treatment is not generally covered by insurance.
Common around the cheeks and nose are networks of tiny, red or blue facial spider veins. Larger, blue reticular veins, are usually found along the temples, under the eyes, around the mouth, or near the jawline or cheekbones. What causes these facial veins? The single most important factor is exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun.
What facial vein treatments are available?
Facial veins have characteristics that make them suitable for light-based treatments. IPL (intense pulse light) or laser beam therapies are by far the most common. These light and laser rays target the hemoglobin in the blood vessels, destroying the vessels by generating heat. IPL uses a broadband of light, while lasers use a focused, single wavelength to target finer, more superficial veins. An advantage of light-based treatments is that they restrict damage to the targeted sections of blood vessels and do not extend the damage to nearby tissues.
Another type of treatment, sclerotherapy injection, is the treatment of choice for leg spider veins and larger, reticular veins. It is simple, and uses tiny needles to inject a sclerosing solution into the veins, causing them to collapse and fade. The treatments are relatively painless. However, for facial veins, this treatment may cause the uncommon but serious side-effect of the injected solution traveling into the network of veins inside the ophthalmic artery, resulting in loss of vision.
If you have unsightly facial veins and would like to talk to Dr. Guarnieri about how best to treat them, call to schedule a consultation appointment, soon. We are your Williamsburg Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery specialists: (757) 345-2275.
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