Tiny red veins on face may be an aesthetic problem especially in young people. Although it is said that their formation is related to excessive alcohol use, it is not always true. The appearance of dilated veins is usually hereditary, but they origin more often in smokers, women taking hormonal contraceptives and as a consequence of skin injury by sunlight.
Regardless what is the cause of their occurrence, facial dilated veins can be treated by laser. Treatment using older types of lasers was painful and caused visible burn injury on the skin, which could not be disguised by make-up. The treatment was also slow with low efficacy.
Today’s techniques enable quick and painless treatment.
Laser produces yellow light of certain wavelength, which is absorbed by red haemoglobin pigment in red blood cells. Absorbed light energy is transformed into heat energy and causes the vein to seal up. Damaged vein is gradually absorbed, disappears and never forms again. The benefit of this procedure is that the surrounding skin is intact.
This will not prevent new veins formation, especially in smokers.
Minor disorder may be treated during one session.
In people with many veins or with the veins similar to each other, it is necessary to repeat the treatment for 2 to 3 times.
After the laser treatment flare may usually appear and that may last for 2 days. If higher power is used, small bruises may emerge, but they will disappear during a week after the procedure. Some patients may feel mild stinging that can last for 2 to 5 days. Rarely small pustules may emerge, but they disappear spontaneously. Veins fade continually in 6 to 8 weeks after the treatment.
During the treatment patient feels slight stinging. Pain is restrained by a cooling spray, which goes together with the light beam.
It is important not to drink alcohol one week before the treatment and do not take the anticoagulants.
Skin must not be tanned before the treatment and the patient should avoid sunbathing of treated areas for 6 months after the procedure.
Treated area should be greased with a sunbathing cream with high sun protection factor every day. It is necessary to apply the cream 1 hour before you go out.
Thanks to dynamic skin cooling is thermal skin injury only mild. Side effects manifestation is rare and may include:
Pigmentation: brown spots may appear after the treatment if the skin is not protected against sunlight.
Scars: very rare complication, it may emerge especially on the neck.
Infection: infrequently.
Reappearing of the spider veins: most often in women taking hormonal contraceptives and in smokers.
In people with hereditary form of the disorder, laser treatment cannot prevent reappearing of new spider veins.