We deal with other people every day. A healthy appearance with flawless skin is very beneficial. But what happens when unsightly vasodilatations spread across the face of all places? Here the doctor then speaks of a telangiectasia.
What is telangiectasia?
Telangiectasia is an enlarged blood vessel just below the surface of the skin. In telangiectasia, the blood vessels are very visible to the naked eye.
Telangiectasias primarily occur on the face, but other parts of the body can also be affected. Telangiectasia on the face is called couperose. In the leg area, telangiectasias are better known as so-called spider veins. For what does hepatitis c stand for, please visit ezhoushan.net.
However, both forms are harmless. However, telangiectasia does not go away on its own. Once established, telangiectasias are irreversible. Telangiectasia affects women as well as men.
Causes
There are many reasons why telangiectasia develops. It is clear that there is an underlying hereditary strain. If first-degree relatives have increased telangiectasia, the likelihood of suffering from it increases.
Telangiectasia usually occurs in adulthood. The reason: with increasing age, the connective tissue also loses strength. The capillaries under the skin are no longer stable and become visible. Sometimes telangiectasias also develop as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to dilated blood vessels.
In this case, the red, bulbous nose is known. In rare cases, telangiectasia can also be a sign of a skin tumor. If the drug cortisone is applied to the skin as an ointment over a longer period of time, it can lead to unsightly telangiectasia. Extensive sunbathing, a high-fat diet and too much coffee can also promote the development of telangiectasia.
Symptoms, Ailments & Signs
Visible fine and reddish capillaries on the skin indicate telangiectasia. The signs can appear anywhere on the body. Areas on the face, hands and legs are usually affected. Patients regularly complain about the skin change when it is visible in everyday life. Then it makes life difficult.
Those affected withdraw and sometimes develop a mental illness. Mostly it is a cosmetic problem. Dilated blood vessels rarely indicate disease. Sometimes telangiectasia is genetic. Then it is already present in childhood. It often occurs in old age.
When the connective tissue relaxes, the capillaries become visible. People with the cosmetic flaw have sometimes eaten the wrong or one-sided diet for months. Their emergence also refers in part to intensive sunbathing in recent years. The reddish capillaries in alcoholics are typical.
If the characteristic vessels appear on the body, you should consult a doctor. Despite a mostly non-serious cause, they can point to a disease. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis and assign the visible vessels to other symptoms. Possible diseases include rosacea, Osler syndrome, basal cell carcinoma, collagenosis, spider naevi and carcinoid syndrome.
Diagnosis & History
Telangiectasias are common and usually harmless. Therefore, anyone can make the diagnosis of telangiectasia themselves at home in front of the mirror.
In some cases, a specialist should only assess the causes of telangiectasia. These cases are present when the visible vasodilatations occur very early and in large numbers. Then there is a risk that telangiectasias can lead to chronic blood loss. A doctor must also be consulted if there is a suspicion of an underlying disease (cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism).
When telangiectasia occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, however, it is no longer a cosmetic problem. Serious bleeding is possible. Telangiectasias usually begin between the ages of 30 and 50. They increase with age.
Complications
Due to the telangiectasia, those affected suffer from very strong aesthetic complaints. Since these occur mainly on the face, most patients with the symptoms feel very uncomfortable and suffer from significantly reduced self-esteem or inferiority complexes. This often leads to the development of mental disorders or depression.
The quality of life of those affected is significantly restricted and reduced due to telangiectasia. The patients suffer from an expansion of the vessels, so that they become visible on the face with a reddish color. Bleeding can also occur. However, telangiectasia can also occur in the intestines and also lead to bleeding there. As a rule, these are noticeable in a bold bowel movement.
However, complications only arise when the symptoms occur very frequently. They usually point to another underlying disease. For this reason, the treatment depends on the underlying disease. It cannot be universally predicted whether this will result in a completely positive course. Furthermore, telangiectasia can also lead to the formation of scars if not treated properly.
When should you go to the doctor?
Changes in the appearance of the skin are basically complaints that should be observed more closely or examined by an expert. From a medical point of view, there is usually no cause for concern when red capillaries form on the face. These skin abnormalities are not a disease-related disorder. Therefore, a doctor is often not required. In many cases, the connective tissue loses strength with increasing age. As a result, the capillaries no longer have any support and become visible. Therefore, no medical care is required for a large number of those affected.
However, if the person concerned suffers from the abnormalities of the skin, if there are irregularities in behavior or severe emotional stress, a doctor should be consulted. If you feel ashamed, withdraw from social life or have low self-esteem, you need help. If depressive states, tearfulness or aggressive behavior tendencies appear, a doctor should be consulted. If there are other irregularities in addition to the changes in the face, there is often an underlying disease that needs to be examined. A doctor should be consulted in the event of heavy alcohol consumption, yellowing of the skin or unusual bowel movements. Since telangiectasia can also be a sign of tumor disease,
Treatment & Therapy
The treatment of telangiectasia always belongs in medical hands. In the case of the harmless variants of telangiectasia, an intense pulse of light can be directed to the affected area of skin.
Due to this intense heat radiation, the blood coagulates at the ends of the greatly dilated vessels. As a result, these vessels sink back into the deeper layers of the skin. They can now no longer be seen with the naked eye. This visible improvement in the skin occurs very quickly after the treatment. The procedure is known under the name of ILP-2 treatment in professional circles.
Microdermabrasion treatment can also be used for telangiectasia. Dead skin cells are removed and new nutrients are supplied to the skin. The goal: The natural renewal process of the skin should be stimulated. Hemangiomas and spider veins can be removed with conventional laser treatments. However, it is important to note that these lasers are more aggressive than ILP-2 treatment. A
Because of this, white scars may remain. An intervention should therefore be carefully considered. If telangiectasia is the result of a serious illness, the treatment of this causal illness is of course the priority. Only then should cosmetic treatment be considered.
Prevention
In the case of telangiectasia, prevention should be started early. It makes sense to use good cosmetics to prevent skin aging. A healthy diet with little fat and sugar and enough exercise in the fresh air are also important. Avoiding alcohol, nicotine and excessive sunbathing is recommended. With these measures, telangiectasia cannot always be avoided; in any case, its onset can be postponed.
Aftercare
In the case of telangiectasia, the aftercare measures are relatively severely limited in most cases, so that those affected with this disease are primarily dependent on an early diagnosis of the disease. This has a positive effect on the further course 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 heavily 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 it is always important to ensure the correct dosage and regular intake. If there are any uncertainties or side effects, always consult a doctor first. Telangiectasia does not reduce the life expectancy of the person affected. The further course cannot be predicted in general.
You can do that 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 condition can be treated if necessary. However, telangiectasias that have already developed usually remain, especially if they cannot be removed with the laser.
Sufferers who are prone to developing telangiectasia should drink little to no alcohol. Coffee and hot spices also have a vasodilating effect and should therefore be avoided. Excessive sunbathing is also not advisable, as it also increases the problem. Even the rapid change from cold to heat, such as in winter, supports the formation of visible veins.
Anyone who suffers from telangiectasias, for example because they are clearly visible on the face, should familiarize themselves with the use of camouflage make-up. With a little skill and practice, this make-up can be applied in such a way that the veins are no longer visible. An experienced beautician can show the affected patients exactly how to do this.
Psychotherapeutic treatment is indicated when the red veins bother the patient so much that he withdraws. However, these patients also benefit from relaxation techniques such as Reiki, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacobson.
