Every day we deal with other people. A healthy appearance with flawless skin is very advantageous there. But what happens when unsightly vascular dilatations spread to the face of all places? Here, the medical profession then speaks of telangiectasia.
What is telangiectasia?
A telangiectasia is a dilated blood vessel just below the surface of the skin. The blood vessels are very visible to the naked eye in telangiectasia. Teleangiectasia primarily occurs on the face, but it can also affect other areas of the body. Teleangiectasia on the face is called couperosis. In the leg area, telangiectasias are better known as so-called spider veins. However, both forms are harmless. However, telangiectasia does not disappear on its own. Once it has occurred, telangiectasias are irreversible. Women are affected by telangiectasia just as much as men.
Causes
There are many causes for the development of telangiectasia. It is certain that there is an underlying hereditary predisposition. If first-degree relatives have an increased incidence of telangiectasia, the likelihood of suffering from it oneself increases. Teleangiectasia usually occurs in adulthood. The reason: with increasing age, the connective tissue also loses strength. The capillaries lying under the skin no longer have support and become visible. Sometimes telangiectasia also occurs as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to dilated blood vessels. Well known in this case is the red, bulbous nose. In rare cases, telangiectasia can also be the sign of a tumor disease of the skin. If the drug cortisone is applied to the skin as an ointment over a long period of time, it can lead to unsightly telangiectasia. Extensive sunbathing, a high-fat diet as well as too much coffee can also promote the development of telangiectasia.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Visible fine and reddish capillaries on the skin refer to telangiectasia. Signs may appear all over the body. Most commonly, areas on the face, hands, and legs are affected. Patients regularly complain about the skin change when it is visible in everyday life. Then it makes life more difficult. Affected people withdraw and sometimes a mental illness develops. In most cases, it is a cosmetic problem. Only rarely do the dilated blood vessels refer to a disease. Sometimes telangiectasia is genetically determined. Then it is already present in childhood. Often it occurs in old age. Due to the slackening of the connective tissue, the capillaries become visible. People with the cosmetic blemish have sometimes also eaten the wrong food or one-sided food for months. Also, their appearance sometimes refers to intensive sunbathing in recent years. Typical are the reddish capillary vessels in alcoholics. If the characteristic vessels appear on the body, one should consult a doctor. Despite a usually not serious cause, they can refer to a disease. Only a medical professional can make a diagnosis and assign the visible vessels to other symptoms. Possible conditions include rosacea, Osler syndrome, basal cell carcinoma, collagenoses, spidernaevi, and carcinoid syndrome.
Diagnosis and progression
Teleangiectasias are common and usually harmless. Therefore, the diagnosis of telangiectasia can be made by everyone himself at home in front of the mirror. Only the causes of telangiectasia should be evaluated by a specialist in some cases. These cases are when the visible vascular dilatations appear very early and in large numbers. Then there is a risk that telangiectasia can lead to chronic blood loss. A physician must also be consulted if an underlying disease is suspected (cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism). However, if telangiectasias occur in the gastrointestinal tract, it is no longer a cosmetic problem. Serious bleeding is possible. Teleangiectasias usually begin between the ages of 30 and 50. They increase with advancing age.
Complications
Due to telangiectasia, affected individuals suffer from very severe aesthetic discomfort. Since these occur mainly on the face, most patients feel very uncomfortable with the symptoms, suffering from a significantly lowered self-esteem or even inferiority complexes. Often, this also leads to the development of psychological upsets or even depression.The quality of life of those affected is considerably restricted and reduced due to telangiectasia. The patients suffer from a dilation of the vessels, so that they become visible in the face through a reddish color. Furthermore, bleeding may also occur. However, telangiectasia can also occur in the intestine and lead to bleeding there as well. As a rule, these are noticeable by a bold bowel movement. Complications, however, only occur when the symptoms are very frequent. They then usually point to another underlying disease. For this reason, treatment takes place depending on the underlying disease. It cannot be universally predicted whether this will result in a completely positive outcome. Furthermore, telangiectasia can also lead to the formation of scars if not treated properly.
When should you see a doctor?
Changes in the appearance of the skin are basically complaints that should be observed more closely or expertly examined. In the case of the formation of red capillary vessels on the face, there is normally no cause for concern from a medical point of view. These skin abnormalities are not a disease-related disorder. Often, therefore, no doctor is needed. In many cases, the connective tissue loses strength with age. As a result, the capillaries no longer have support and become visible. Therefore, no medical care is needed for a large number of sufferers. However, if the affected person suffers from the conspicuousness of the skin appearance, if there are irregularities in behavior or strong emotional stress, a doctor should be consulted. In case of feelings of shame, withdrawal from social life or reduced self-esteem, the affected person needs help. If depressive states, weepiness or aggressive behavioral tendencies appear, a doctor should be consulted. If other irregularities occur in addition to the changes in the face, there is often an underlying disease that needs to be investigated. In case of heavy alcohol consumption, yellowing of the skin or peculiarities of the bowel movements, a doctor should be consulted. Since telangiectasia can also be a sign of tumor disease, if it occurs, a visit to the doctor should be made to clarify the cause.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of telangiectasia always belongs in medical hands. Thus, in the harmless variants of telangiectasia, an intense light pulse can be directed to the affected skin area. This intense heat irradiation causes the blood to coagulate at the ends of the severely dilated vessels. As a result, these vessels sink back into deeper layers of the skin. They can now no longer be seen with the naked eye. This visible improvement of the skin occurs very quickly after the treatment. The procedure is known in professional circles as ILP-2 treatment. Microdermabrasion treatment can also be used for telangiectasia. Here, dead skin cells are removed and new nutrients are added to the skin. The goal is to stimulate the skin’s natural renewal process. Hemangiomas and spider veins can be removed with conventional laser treatments. However, it is important to note that these lasers are more aggressive than the ILP-2 treatment. A
herefore, white scars may remain. Therefore, surgery should be well considered. If telangiectasia is the result of a serious disease, the treatment of this causative disease is of course paramount. Only then should cosmetic treatment be considered.
Prevention
In cases of telangiectasia, prevention should be started early. It is useful to prevent skin aging by means of good cosmetics. It is also important to eat a healthy diet low in fat and sugar and get enough exercise in the fresh air. It is recommended to avoid alcohol, nicotine and excessive sunbathing. With these measures, telangiectasia cannot always be avoided; in any case, its onset can be postponed.
Aftercare
In most cases of telangiectasia, the measures of an aftercare are relatively limited, so that the person affected by this disease is primarily dependent on an early diagnosis of the disease. This has a positive effect on the further course of the disease and can prevent the occurrence of complications and other complaints. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted at the first symptoms and signs.The treatment itself depends strongly on the severity of the telangiectasia, so that no general course can be given. In most cases, however, patients are dependent on taking various medications, whereby attention must always be paid to the correct dosage and regular administration. If there is any ambiguity or side effects, always consult a doctor first. Teleangiectasia does not reduce the life expectancy of the affected person. At the same time, the further course cannot be predicted in general.
This is what you can do yourself
Whether as spider veins or as couperose, telangiectasias are unsightly but generally harmless. However, patients should have their dermatologist clarify whether there is a disease behind the visible veins. An underlying disease can be treated if necessary. Teleangiectasias that have already developed, on the other hand, usually remain, especially if they cannot be removed with a laser. Affected persons who are prone to the formation of telangiectasias should drink little or no alcohol. Coffee and hot spices also have a vasodilating effect and should be avoided. Excessive sunbathing is also not recommended, as it also exacerbates the problem. Even the rapid change from cold to heat, such as in winter, supports the development of visible veins. Those who suffer from telangiectasias because they are clearly visible on the face, for example, should familiarize themselves with the use of camouflage makeup. With a little skill and practice, this makeup can be applied so that the veins are no longer visible. An experienced beautician can show affected patients exactly how to do this. Psychotherapeutic treatment is indicated if the red veins bother the patient so much that he withdraws. However, these patients also benefit from relaxation techniques such as Reiki, yoga or Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation.
