Facial blood vessels are more variable in type than are the “spider veins” found on the legs. While leg “spider veins” are almost always caused by venous insufficiency (varicose vein disease), facial vascular blemishes can have variable causes and be of venous or arterial origin. Diseases such as rosacea, a vascular disease that causes intense flushing of the facial blood vessels, can also cause dilated facial vessels. 

 

Sclerotherapy, the treatment of choice for leg “spider veins” is seldom the best treatment for facial vessels. Facial vessels are often better treated using lasers or intense pulsed light. Also, ohmic devices can be used on some facial vessels with excellent results. Furthermore, some patients have relatively large veins under or to the side of their eyes that can be removed by the hook phlebectomy procedure.

 

At the ERVC we have all of these treatment modalities available for use in the treatment of facial vessels. We employ the Sciton® ClearScan™ 1064 YAG laser (http://www.sciton.com/products/clearscan-yag), the Sciton® BBL™ intense pulsed light system (http://www.sciton.com/products/bbl.html), and the VeinGogh XP® ohmic system (http://www.veingogh.com).

 

Clovis E. Manley, MD

Evansville Regional Vein Center