How to Get Rid of Broken Capillaries

First, a couple of quick definitions…

Broken capillary: a damaged tiny blood vessel near the surface of the skin.

Spider veins: a cluster of broken capillaries.

Now, here are the basics you need to know…

Broken capillaries are (usually) a sign of aging skin. People who have them generally didn’t when they were younger.

Why do Capillaries Break?

Broken capillaries are medically known as 'telangectasias'. As skin ages, it becomes more fragile and prone to broken capillaries which appear as a small bundle of thin, wavy red lines, especially around the nose and cheeks. A weakened capillary wall will allow the capillaries to rupture and seep blood, which pools in neighboring tissues instead of staying tightly contained. When these blood vessels lose their elasticity and collapse, they become visible as broken capillaries or spider veins on the surface of the skin. Dry, delicate or mature skin that is thin and fragile is most susceptible to broken capillaries. Just about anything can trigger them. 

Preventative Measures

Most people tend to think in cosmetic terms about broken capillaries. They think of symptoms rather than causes. If you chose laser treatments, for example, you'll be dealing with symptoms and not with the real problem at hand: weakened capillaries.

for some people, laser treatments do give good results, cosmetically. But they don't eliminate the underlying problem. So those treatments have to be repeated again and again. In your forties, such a treatment might last a couple of years. But in later decades, you might get mere months’ worth of results. 

There is another way. Strengthen your capillaries from the inside and from the outside

Strengthen Your Skin From the Inside

Begin a program of daily juicing. Next, increase the percentage of raw foods in your diet. At the very least, cut all commercially processed foods. That measure alone, given time, can significantly reduce the appearance of your broken capillaries. It may even clear your skin entirely. One of the ways that the raw food diet is helpful in maintaining the health of skin is through its naturally high level of bioflavonoids, which work synergistically with Vitamin C not only to maintain healthy capillaries, but also promote collagen production, and support immune system health.

Want to avoid broken capillaries? Prevention is your best bet. And eating mostly or entirely raw foods is a key, there. But given you've found some unsightly red broken capillaries facing you in the mirror today, what can you do?

In Office Treatments

Electrolysis  ·  Some dermatologists offer electrolysis to rid patients of broken capillaries. During the process, a fine needle sends electric current through the skin, destroying the capillaries. Electrolysis can, however, leave scars where the needle was inserted.

Lasers ·  Some people turn to laser treatment for broken capillaries. The V-Beam is a new, popular laser treatment technology. Some who’ve opted for this treatment have had no problems and were pelased with the results. Others haven’t fared so well. Post-treatment symptoms have included dark bruising, severe swelling, rash, pain, and welts. While in some cases these symptoms went away, others ended up looking worse than before.  Since laser treatments eventually must be repeated, I suggest you consider one more issue...

If used for facial capillaries, says Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez, lasers can trigger a process called apoptosis. The term means: cell death. This process goes on for weeks, even months, after the treatment. Patients can continue to experience subcutaneous fat tissue loss, which in turn can make one appear gaunt—older than she looked before the treatment. There is no way to predict how laser treatment will turn out. If you decide to pursue it, beware!

Natural Remedies 

There’re also natural alternatives for treating broken capillaries. But keep in mind, they require persistence and patience.

Myofascial Therapy  

Some people have reduced the appearance of broken capillaries using myofascial massage therapy. Your skin is a regenerating organ, and a gentle massage done by a professional is a natural, relaxing approach to the problem.

Cooling  

Not extreme cold, just a compress on the site of the broken capillaries, will help constrict the blood vessels.

Acupuncture 

This ancient oriental technique has long been known to help increase circulation, directly addressing the problem of broken blood vessels.

How to Avoid Broken Capillaries in the Future

Question: I’ve developed some broken capillaries in recent years—a few at my nostrils and a few on my cheeks. Do you know if the dry brushing--because it increases blood flow—will exacerbate the areas of already red capillaries? Or might the dry brushing actually heal these broken and red areas? I don't want to do any more damage.

My answer: This is the classical case of catch 22. 

Ordinarily, nothing will ordinarily break healthy, youthful capillaries. They are elastic and pliable. But with age they become brittle. And now anything can break them, even wonderful practices such as facial massage or dry brushing.

So, should you dry brush or not? Nothing will save your weakest capillaries. If they are ready to break, they’ll break. 

But you can still save the rest of your capillary network, the half-brittle ones that can be brought back to an elastic, healthy state. If you don’t brush and become super-protective of your skin, you’ll continue to experience more and more capillary damage.

You cannot be careful enough with your skin. Anything can potentially cause the breakage. So, you might think, wouldn’t it be better just not to brush?

You should be thinking of actively getting your skin younger, not about getting too careful protecting the old. If you do begin a regular dry brushing routine, you might or might not get a broken capillary early on. And if you do, it might be your last one.

You decide what to do and how far to go. 

Improve Blood Circulation

How can you strengthen your capillaries from the outside? Improved circulation is necessary for dealing with and preventing broken capillaries. Facial dry brushing will help accomplish this, but be sure to start very gently, and slowly work your way up to firmer and longer sessions.