Facial Veins

What are Facial Veins?

Spider veins (facial broken veins or thread veins) occur when blood vessels become swollen, broken or become dilated. Although these are common on all areas of the body, they tend to be most apparent around the nose and cheeks. They’re benign, but some people do not like their appearance. Other red vascular issues include cherry angiomas and reticular veins.

Why Facial Veins Appear

Spider, thread and facial veins take on a spider-web like appearance and are usually wiggly and small, approximately 1-3mm. They appear close to the surface of the skin, sometimes making them visible. They’re usually red, purple or blue, whereas reticular veins may take on a blue or green tone. Some may be so small that they resemble a patch of pigmentation or a dark shadow.

In other instances, a collection of blood vessels can congregate and appear as a red papule (cherry angioma).

Spider veins or other veins can also occur to the inflammation or injury. Again, they can appear anywhere on the body or face.

Your genes, lifestyle choices, obesity and sun damage can also be causal factors.

What causes thread veins?

Spider veins on the face or body occur due to a variety of factors, but they seem to become more prevalent with age. Since there is a relationship with hormone fluctuations and veins, they can be more common during pregnancy.

Spider veins on the face usually occur as a result as some form of injury or inflammatory response. Alcohol consumption causes an inflammatory response in the body, which can cause blood vessels to dilate. The consumption of alcohol is often linked to rosacea flare-ups and other inflammatory conditions. A red or bulbous nose can be an indication of excessive alcohol consumption. Additionally, excessive sun exposure can cause capillaries to burst and break, resulting in the formation of facial broken thread veins.

Another irritating process that can cause veins is exfoliating or being too rough with the skin can break the capillaries.

Obesity can also cause damage to the vessel walls. Those with obesity might be more prone to developing a venous deficiency, which causes backflow of blood through the veins.

Ageing can make spider veins more visible as the skin becomes thinner. The skin also becomes thinner with free radical damage due to smoking, alcohol consumption, sun exposure etc. and damages the arteries and veins.

Hormonal changes such as pregnancy, puberty, or oral contraceptive pill use can result in these more obvious facial veins.

Some are unfortunately genetically predisposed to developing skin conditions like facial spider veins and rosacea.

Lastly, those who travel, stand or sit for long periods are more likely to get spider veins. The lack of circulation can put too much pressure on the veins, causing the vessel walls to collapse.

More Questions on Facial Veins, Answered