Fine red lines around the nose, cheeks, or chin are often referred to as “broken capillaries.” The medical term commonly used for these small, widened vessels is telangiectasia. At Ohio Clinic For Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery in Westlake, our paramedical aestheticians care for cosmetic skin concerns under the direction of Michael H. Wojtanowski, MD, FACS, a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. For appropriate facial vessels, our Vein Erasure treatment is used to reduce their appearance.
What Are Broken Capillaries?
Despite the name, “broken capillaries” are generally small superficial blood vessels that have become visible through the skin. They may appear as individual red lines, tiny branching patterns, or areas where several fine vessels can be seen at once.
These facial vessels are different from varicose veins, which are enlarged veins that usually occur in the legs. If you are researching facial redness, it is important not to assume that information about leg vein disease or varicose vein treatment applies to what you see on your face.
Why Do Facial Vessels Become More Noticeable?
There is no single explanation for everyone. Several factors can be associated with facial telangiectasia:
- Sun exposure: Long-term ultraviolet exposure can contribute to skin changes that make superficial vessels easier to see.
- Rosacea: Persistent facial redness and visible blood vessels are common features of rosacea.
- Genetics: Some people are more prone to developing noticeable facial vessels than others.
- Aging: Changes in the skin over time can make existing vessels more apparent.
Because several skin conditions can cause redness or vascular-looking marks, appearance alone does not always tell you why a spot has developed.
When Might Vein Erasure Be Considered?
Ohio Clinic uses a hair-fine needle to coagulate unwanted facial vessels. The service may be used on the cheeks, forehead, nose, upper lip, and chin.
A consultation allows our team to look at the area and discuss whether it fits the type of cosmetic vascular blemish treated with Vein Erasure. If a mark is new, painful, bleeding, changing, or accompanied by other symptoms, it may need medical evaluation rather than assuming it is simply a cosmetic broken capillary.
If your concerns also include texture, sun-related changes, or uneven tone, our broader skincare treatments can be discussed separately. Those services should not be confused with Vein Erasure, which is the option on our site specifically intended for facial telangiectasia.
Talk With Our Westlake Skincare Team
Not every red mark on the face has the same cause. If you want to know whether the vessels you see may be appropriate for cosmetic treatment, contact us at Ohio Clinic For Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery in Westlake, OH, or call 440-808-9315 to speak with our team.
