Broken blood vessels, also known as broken capillaries or spider veins (due to their appearance) are thin, ribbon-like lines that commonly appear on your legs and face, particularly around the mouth, cheeks, and nose.
Although completely harmless, they are also very irritating and can affect your self-confidence.
While you can apply your favourite foundation or concealer to cover them up, this is only a temporary solution.
If you are looking for information on more permanent solutions and even how to prevent spider veins, you’ve come to the right place, as that’s what we are going to discuss in this post.
Can you fix broken capillaries on face?
If you are looking to get rid of your broken blood vessels completely, although there are various alternatives, the only way you can do it with any guaranteed success is by having laser treatments or intense pulsed light therapy.
Laser therapy is so effective when it comes to getting rid of vascular lesions, in this case, treating broken capillaries on the face, because it heats the blood flowing through the vessels, which causes inflammation and then scarring on the inside of the affected vessel.
Eventually, within 4 to 6 weeks, the fine spider veins will fade away.
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Although it sounds painful, most experts, surgeons and patients that have had it describe the sensation as a rubber band being lightly snapped against your skin a few times.
The issue with this type of treatment is that it can cause damage to your skin, which could make the treated areas more sensitive during the recovery period.
It is also expensive, and you will need multiple sessions before you can achieve the desired results. The broken vessels can also return, meaning you may need to have the procedure repeated.
Intense pulsed light is another option that is very effective and uses a special light to penetrate the deepest layers of your skin but without causing damage to the top layer that laser therapy can.
As a result, there is a lot less recovery time required for this procedure.
The downside is you are still likely to need multiple sessions to get the results you desire.
However, if you have dark coloured skin, the best thing to do is to ask if your board-certified dermatologist has access to a YAG laser treatment (we do here at Linia Skin) as intense pulsed light isn’t suitable for darker skin pigments and could cause damage to the skin on your face.
Can broken facial capillaries be prevented?
The great news is that you can reduce your chances of suffering from a spider vein and broken capillaries before they occur by taking on board and applying the following easy-to-apply tips to your daily routine and life in general:
- Avoiding exposure to extreme heat or hot weather
- Avoiding exposure to the sun
- Drinking alcohol moderately
- Use cool or tepid water
- Use gentler exfoliants
- Avoid picking or popping spots
- Drink plenty of cold water
- Make sure your skin is moisturized daily
- Apply anti-inflammatory products to your skin
- Speak to a board-certified dermatologist for advice
- Wear sunscreen – yes, we know, wearing sunscreen is one of those solutions that come up for so many different skin concerns, but that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. Broken capillary walls develop because of exposure to UV rays from the sun, so sunscreen can provide suitable protection, especially for sensitive skin.
Though to get rid of them permanently, you’re best to attend a dermatologist’s office at a skin clinic like Linia.
Are broken capillaries on your face permanent?
It is hard to get rid of spider veins with home natural remedies, as these are only really suitable for helping to reduce redness caused by this condition, but are not generally a permanent solution.
It’s likely you will need to have laser treatment or IPL treatment to successfully get rid of spider veins.
It comes down to how bad your spider veins are. If they are highly visible and it is having a negative effect on your day to day life, it is worth considering the options outlined above.
Natural Remedies for Broken Blood Vessels
- Horse Chestnut – horse chestnut is a herb that is used as an effective treatment for various skin conditions. Many people use it to improve the health of their veins. Although it is available in supplement form, it is generally recommended that topical products that contain horse chestnut are the safest way to treat broken blood vessels. If you are considering this natural remedy, look for formulas that contain horse chestnut bark only and only use it on your face.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – it is common to see this pantry staple on various lists of natural remedies for all manner of health issues. Replace your normal astringent and toner with the vinegar and use a cotton ball to gently apply it to your face.
- Arnica Oil – Arnica oil and products that contain it could help reduce the appearance of your broken blood vessels. However, the oil can cause allergic reactions, so it’s crucial to test it on a small and inconspicuous area of your skin.
- Aloe Vera – Gel from the aloe vera plant could help treat skin redness. There have been studies conducted that found that aloe vera may reduce the redness in a similar way to hydrocortisone or other medicinal creams, but it dries out the cells of your skin. That is why it is recommended you moisturize after each time you use aloe vera.
- Cold Compress – a cold compress, like a bag of frozen peas or ice pack is a simple way to help reduce the redness and appearance of broken or enlarged blood vessels in your face, particularly after heat or sun exposure.
- Other Herbs – It’s not just horse chestnut that you could use to treat broken blood vessels. Others that may be helpful include: Chamomile, Marshmallow root, Yarrow, Oat, Calendula, Sage
Does Retinol get rid of broken capillaries?
Topical creams that feature retinoids in their formula have been known to help reduce the appearance of broken blood vessels.
Traditionally, these products and ingredients are more commonly associated with rosacea and acne treatment, as they remove the top layer of your skin.
This can be problematic as retinoids can cause your skin to dry out and redness and itchiness could develop around the treated areas.
Is Vitamin C good for broken capillaries?
You may be able to also treat your broken capillary problem with Vitamin C.
Rather than completely getting rid of your broken blood vessels, as is the case with retinoids and other non-surgical procedures, Vitamin C can help reduce the appearance of broken and enlarged blood vessels.
There was a study that found Vitamin C had a key role to play in ensuring blood vessels were kept healthy.
It is thought it could help improve the elasticity of blood vessels and make sure there are sufficient levels of collagen present in your blood vessel cells.
What causes broken blood vessels on the face?
Generally speaking, broken blood vessels are caused by trauma to your skin, such as the kind you might experience from the following things:
- intense microdermabrasion
- squeezing a spot too firmly
- alcohol consumption
- intense exercise
- eating spicy foods
- being out in cold and wintery air
- taking excessively hot showers
- extreme heat and sun damage that can cause excessive blood vessel dilation
These things may increase redness of your skin due to increased blood flow to your face.
Pregnancy-related spider veins is also another type of this condition that you should be aware of that is caused due to the increased levels of estrogen while a mother is carrying a child.
These tend to heal after the child has been born.
Book a Laser Treatment Consultation For Your Broken Facial Capillaries
At Linia Skin, we have treated many happy patients and fixed the broken capillaries on their face to give them their confidence back. We are confident we can do the same for you.
Want a Personal Consultation to Find Out if Laser Treatment Can Help Fix Your Broken Capillaries?
Book today with One of Our Experienced Dermatologists
