Although no skincare product can make spider veins disappear, taking care of your face may help prevent them from forming in the first place.
You may use skincare products to wash your face, clear up acne, treat rosacea, or just stay moisturized. When it comes to spider veins, you may naturally wonder if there are any products out there that could help you protect against or treat this unsightly condition.
Unfortunately, making existing veins disappear is not as simple as finding the right face wash — but there are steps you can take to lower the likelihood that spider veins will develop in the first place.
What Causes Facial Veins?
Facial veins, also known as spider angiomas or telangiectasias, are small red or blue spider veins that develop on the face as a result of burst capillaries (tiny blood vessels). Several factors can cause these veins to form, including:
- Rosacea: This is the primary cause of facial veins. Rosacea is a chronic facial skin condition that impacts approximately 16 million men and women across the US. It appears in the form of facial flushing and redness, small bumps, and, in its most noticeable form, as red veins that surround the nose, cheeks, forehead, and mouth.
- Sun Exposure: UV rays from the sun break down collagen. When this protective layer is weakened, capillaries are more likely to burst. This is most common among those with lighter skin.
- Scrubbing: Too much exfoliation and you risk breaking capillaries, leading to a tangle of spider-like veins.
- Age: As we get older, our skin gets thinner and our veins weaken, increasing the likelihood of spider veins.
Facial spider veins do not cause many of the itchy, achy side effects common in varicose veins that blanket thighs and calves, but their psychological impact can be devastating. According to the National Rosacea Society, 90% of rosacea patients said facial veins and splotches lowered their self-confidence.
Can Skincare Products Treat Facial Veins?
Spider veins are burst capillaries, and once capillaries break, there’s no external way to repair them. While rosacea topicals, specialty creams, and acne remedies may help reduce redness, they cannot eliminate existing spider veins, despite what they may promise. This is one of the many vein myths out there.
However, there are a few products on the market that may help prevent spider veins from forming. Vitamin A-rich lotions and gentle creams are great because, when used in place of harsh facial scrubbers, they cleanse skin without aggravating capillaries. Collagen-boosting products may be able to ward off spider veins with their skin-strengthening powers, but the existing research is inconclusive.
Above all, sunscreen is the best method of defense against facial veins. It wards off UV rays that damage the connective tissue below the skin. Products containing a minimum of SPF 30 and those that utilize the blocking powers of zinc or titanium dioxide should be a regular part of your skincare routine.
What Can I Do to Remove Facial Veins?
Topical, over-the-counter products can not eliminate existing facial veins, but there are plenty of treatments that do. The most effective solution for treating facial veins is known as “VeinGogh.” This procedure utilizes highly concentrated radiofrequency energy that is designed to destroy the diseased vein without damaging the healthy skin around it.
The best part? It can be completed in less than 30 minutes without a hospital visit or the need for anesthesia. For many, the results of VeinGogh are evident immediately following the procedure. Repeated treatments are only necessary in severe cases or if new veins develop.
VeinGogh is just one of many effective treatment options out there. Talk to a spider vein doctor at Vein911 Vein Treatment Center today to learn which option is right for you.
