BROKEN CAPILLARIES

Broken capillaries, also commonly referred to as thread veins or spider veins, are small red blood vessels, which are seen just under the surface of the skin and have been ruptured by one or more factors. There are many causes of broken capillaries. These include:

Trauma - Squeezing spots, aggressive face scrubbing and even spectacle wearing - by creating pressure on the bridge of the nose.

Environment – Sun and wind damage, including extreme cold conditions and sudden changes in extreme temperatures.

Age – Collagen and elastin diminishes as we get older, causing our skin to become thinner. Because of this, broken capillaries become more noticeable.

Genetics – Your chances of developing broken capillaries are higher if your parents were affected.

Lifestyle – Smoking and alcohol are a big factor in damaging these small veins. They cause rapid expansion and contraction, resulting in weaker and more dilated looking blood vessels showing against the surface of the skin.

The great news is that for such a common complaint there is a very successful solution in the form of IPL, ‘Intensive Pulse Light’ therapy. IPL has been proven for many years as a very successful treatment for this particular problem. A series of treatments can make a significant difference to the reduction of broken capillaries. The first step is to avoid the above damaging causes and always use a high factor sun protection, but the solution to significantly reduce the existing broken capillaries you have, is to book a consultation with Karen Burgess BSc (hons).

IPL works by emitting pulses of light in a range of different wavelengths. These flashes of light are specifically targeted at the broken capillaries which show as pigmented areas of the skin. The IPL penetrates just below the skin’s surface, damaging the broken blood vessels by impeding their blood flow and leading to eventual collapse away from the skin. The skin repairs the intended, controlled damage to the skin, leaving you with a much more even skin tone.