Broken Capillaries & Rosacea

For both Broken Capillaries and Facial Redness, there are amazing results to be achieved by using the right products and receiving the right procedures to help with your individual symptoms. Medically speaking there is no known cure at this time for Rosacea but there are products and procedures that can alleviate some, or most of the symptoms. For all three conditions, the recommendations are the same.

​Broken capillaries (Telangiectasia) are often referred to as spider veins. Rosacea is a chronic skin condition characterized by semi-permanent or permanent extreme facial redness (erythema) and sometimes pimples, and burning.  Facial Redness (erythema) is a condition that can range from skin that reddens occasionally (blushing), or to a point where the cheeks and sometimes most of the face is more often then not, red.   People who have broken capillaries or facial redness do not necessarily have Rosacea but generally people with Rosacea do have broken capillaries and semi-permanent to permanent facial redness.

The causes of all three of these skin conditions are unknown, but researchers believe it’s likely due to the combination of hereditary and environmental factors. In general people with fair skin and blue eyes are more susceptible to suffering from them.

Treatments for Broken Capillaries & Rosacea

Medical Grade Facials
A unique cosmetic corrective treatment which has the power to comfort and nurture your skin using calming botanicals, while also helping to strengthen your skin’s barrier leaving it less reactive and more nourished.  Ideal for even the most sensitive of skins.

Medical Grade Peels
Medical Grade Peels are specialised designed to calm skin and reduce irritation.  These highly specialised milder peels deliver incredible results for even the most sensitive skin by helping to strengthen the skins barrier for a clearer completion.

IPL-Vascular Red Vein Removal  ​
IPL is a technology used by cosmetic and medical practitioners to perform various skin treatments for aesthetic and therapeutic purposes. The technology uses a high-powered, hand-held, computer-controlled flashgun to deliver an intense, visible, broad-spectrum pulse of light, generally in the visible spectral range of 400 to 1200 nm. Various cut off filters are commonly used to selectively filter out shorter wavelengths, especially potentially damaging ultra violet light. The resulting light has a spectral range that targets specific structures and chromophores (e.g. melanin in hair, or oxyhemoglobin in blood vessels) that are heated to destruction and reabsorbed by the body. IPL uses a broad spectrum that when used with interchangeable filters, allows it to be used against several conditions, such as broken capillaries, rosacea and facial redness. This can be achieved when the IPL technician selects the appropriate filter that matches a specific chromophore.

Oral Medication
For Rosacea oral medication may be of help.  Isotretinoin (Accutane), Tetracycline or others may be prescribed to help symptoms.

Skincare
We can offer you Medical Grade products that will give you the best result you have always strived to achieve, the right product that is right for rosacea and broken capillaries. 

Topically Applied Creams
For both mild cases through to even quite extreme cases there are topically applied creams and serums that can work to sooth and calm and help to rebuild and strengthen your skins barrier and promote a clearer completion.

​Not everyone is a suitable candidate to undergo all of these procedures and techniques.
​A full Skin Consultation is advised.
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How to Avoid Broken Capillaries, Rosacea & Facial Redness

A number of factors can aggravate all three of these conditions to varying degrees or make it worse by increasing blood flow to the surface of your skin.  Some of these are:
  • Hot foods or beverages
  • Spicy foods
  • Alcohol
  • Temperature extremes
  • Sunlight
  • Stress, anger or embarrassment
  • Strenuous exercise
  • Hot baths, saunas
  • Corticosteroids (Steroids)
  • Drugs that dilate blood vessels, including some blood pressure medications
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What are Broken Capillaries, Rosacea & Facial Redness?

Red Capillaries
Commonly found on the nose and cheek areas, these small red or pink ‘threads’ are part of the extensive vein network that carries the blood supply of the face.  When the walls of these tiny veins narrow and widen too quickly, they may tear, allowing blood to seep out and visibly mark the area of damage.  Individuals with dehydrated, dry and sensitive skin often have thinner tissue, which allows more trauma to the veins.  While heredity usually plays a large part (fair, thin–skinned people are most prone), broken capillaries are also bought on by:
  • Inflammatory conditions (acne, rosacea)
  • Extreme temperature changes
  • Sunburn
  • Windburn
  • Trauma (i.e. squeezing pimples)
  • Constant pressure (i.e. wearing glasses)
  • Smoking
  • High alcohol consumption
  • Blood thinning medications
Spider Veins also can develop on the legs often clustered on the thigh, or below the knee, especially on the upper thigh, below the knee and around the ankles.  It is a myth that they are caused by crossing your legs too often.
Facial Redness (Erythema)
When redness is temporary and disappears spontaneously after a few minutes, it is called a “flush” or “blushing”.   This usually affects the face (especially the nose and cheeks), neck and décolleté area and may be accompanied by a feeling of warmth, tingling and/or an increased heart rate.

These manifestations are related to hypersensitivity of the cutaneous vessels which dilate excessively as a result of various stimuli like heat, cold, variations in temperature, strong emotions, alcohol, spicy foods, intense physical activity, etc. The main measure to take to avoid them is to minimise contact with triggers as much as you possibly can.

Over time increasingly frequent flushes may lead to loss of elasticity of the blood vessels they can no longer retract and remain permanently dilated. The redness thus becomes persistent and can take on one of two forms:
  • Erythrosis is when redness is homogeneous in appearance, similar to that of sunburn.
  • Couperose is when a network of small blood vessels (telangiectasia) can be easily seen
Flushes, erythrosis and couperose are early signs of rosacea. However, this evolution is not systematic and so not everyone who suffers from redness necessarily becomes chronic and ends up contracting full-blown rosacea.
Rosacea
Experts are still unsure what causes Rosacea and there’s no specific test for diagnoses.  Instead, doctors rely on the history of your symptoms, a physical examination of your skin and eliminating other conditions, such as acne, for which rosacea can be mistaken.  A visit to a Dermatologist is highly recommended.

Rosacea typically begins as redness on the central face across the cheeks, nose, or forehead, but can also less commonly affect the neck, chest, ears, and scalp. In some cases, additional symptoms, such as semi-permanent redness, telangiectasia (dilation of superficial blood vessels on the face), red domed papules (small bumps), pustules, red gritty eyes, burning and stinging sensations.  In some advanced cases, a red lobulated nose may develop.  

Symptoms of Rosacea are:
  • Red areas on your face
  • Small, red bumps or pustules on your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin (but not the same as whiteheads or blackheads)
  • Visible small blood vessels on your nose and cheeks (telangiectasia)
  • Burning or gritty sensation in your eyes (ocular rosacea)
  • Tendency to flush or blush easily
  • Red, bulbous nose (rhinophyma)

Rosacea usually appears in phases:
  • Pre-Rosacea.  Rosacea may begin as a simple tendency to flush or blush easily, and then progress to a persistent redness in the central portion of your face, particularly your nose. This redness results from the dilation of blood vessels close to your skin’s surface. This phase may sometimes be referred to as pre-rosacea.
  • Vascular Rosacea.  As signs and symptoms worsen, vascular rosacea may develop — small blood vessels on your nose and cheeks swell and become visible (telangiectasia). Your skin may become overly sensitive.  Vascular rosacea may also be accompanied by oily skin and dandruff.
  • Inflammatory Rosacea.  Small, red bumps or pustules may appear and persist, spreading across your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin. This is sometimes known as inflammatory rosacea.
Contact us if you have any questions, or if you would like to book a Consultation with one of our highly qualified and experienced Skin Aesthetician to discuss the possibilities for you.