The term "broken blood vessels" doesn't necessarily imply that you've broken them.

It only means that you've damaged them to the point that they have now looked bruised and swollen, which apparently is what they've become.

They often look like red, thread-like veins that creep across the face. The threads resemble a pattern of a spider's web which gives it the name of spider veins.

When the walls of these blood vessels broaden and narrow suddenly, they can become permanently damaged and dilated, making them more visible to the naked eye.​

It can often be the result of inflamed skin. When the skin is irritated or injured, it can lead to an inflammation of the affected area in which blood vessels are forced to dilate to allow more blood to rush to it. This will aid in the healing process.

Broken blood vessels are usually harmless and cause no pain or discomfort. However, they can still look embarrassing and unsightly.​

What Causes Broken Blood Vessels on the Face?

First of all, let’s find out what causes blood vessels to appear on your face.

The appearance of broken blood vessels on your face can be due to many different factors such as sun damage, rosacea, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, and old age.

Understanding how these spider veins came to be will help you in avoiding them.

And luckily, most of these factors are easily preventable which will save you the trouble of trying to get rid of them.

1. Sun Damage

Sunburn can lead to permanent skin damage. Years of sun exposure without proper sunscreen can affect the skin’s ability to regenerate itself which can make your capillaries weaker.

As your skin gets pounded with ultraviolet rays, numerous tiny blood vessels under the skin will expand as a way of getting more blood to the sun-damaged area to aid in the healing process, making them more visible on the surface.​

And when these tiny blood vessels within your skin start to burst, it can indicate that the sunburn may have gone deeper into the skin’s layers, resulting in a second-degree burn that can permanently damage your skin’s elastin fibers.

2. Rosacea

Rosacea is known as an inflammatory, chronic skin condition that causes redness on your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin.

The inflammation brought upon by rosacea can cause the tiny blood vessels in your face to enlarge permanently, making them more visible through the skin and appear as small red lines. The medical term for it is telangiectasia.

Rosacea can occur in anyone. But many have observed that it typically begins any time after the age of 30, especially with people who have fair skin.

Despite not having an exact cure for rosacea, there are still some treatments that can help in reducing its effects.

3. Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption can result in many health problems and is often the aggravating factor for many skin problems.

One of which is the appearance of broken blood vessels on your face. Alcohol abuse can lead to persistent facial redness which is often the result of enlarged blood vessels. Sustained alcohol intake can also hinder the brain's ability to regulate vascular control.

When you consume too much alcohol, it can increase your blood pressure, causing your veins to dilate which can be especially harmful when it repeatedly happens because it can make your blood vessels lose their ability to contract.​

Eventually, they will appear as broken blood vessels on your face.

4. Genetics

Genetics can also play a huge role in developing broken blood vessels on your face. Many people who have a family medical history of spider veins are more vulnerable to develop this type of skin condition.

If a person's parents or immediate relatives have a history of broken blood vessels on their faces, they are also more likely to exhibit them when they’re older.

However, this should not be your only basis for finding the cause of your broken blood vessel problems, because there may still be other factors that can contribute to the appearance of these spider veins.

5. Old Age

As we age, collagen production in our skin tends to slow down. Without it, our skin loses its firmness and elasticity, making it look thinner and paler.

And when your skin is weak, capillaries are more likely to become dilated and visible on the surface.

That’s why the appearance of broken blood vessels are much more profound in older individuals.

How to Prevent It?

Prevention is the best treatment when dealing with broken blood vessels because once they appear, they’re almost impossible to treat. So if I were you, I’d do all that I can to avoid getting these unsightly spider veins.

And to help you do so, we’ve listed down some incredibly useful tips that you may try.

1. Avoid Staying Under The Sun For An Extended Period Without Proper Sunscreen​

Prolonged sun exposure can lead to diluted blood vessels resulting in permanently damaged blood capillaries that don’t easily heal or disappear over time.

To avoid this, do not stay in direct sunlight for a long period. But in rare cases when you can’t avoid doing so, make sure to apply a sunscreen with a broad spectrum of SPF 30 or higher.

2. Keep Your Alcohol Intake Under Control​

Consuming too much alcohol can make your blood vessels fill up with blood, making them look more pronounced and dilated.

But despite not being the exact cause for broken blood vessels, it can, however, accentuate any underlying redness which can often result in enlarged blood vessels.

3. Avoid Extremely Hot Or Cold Temperatures​

Consistent exposure to extremely cold or hot temperatures can affect your body's circulation and cause your facial skin to flush which can result in dilated blood vessels that can appear as red, thread-like veins across your face.

So as much as possible, try to avoid taking long hot showers or baths which can also produce hot steam and can force the blood vessels in your face to expand.

Also, remember to take extra care of your skin when you’re in extreme weather conditions because this can also lead to dilated blood vessels.

4. Be Careful, Not Over-exfoliate Your Skin​

Broken blood vessels on your face can also be caused by vigorously scrubbing or exfoliating your facial skin.

The walls of the blood vessels on your face can ultimately be weakened by their rapid expansion and contraction brought upon by using the wrong face exfoliator.

Excessively scrubbing repeatedly traumatizes your skin and can often result in permanently dilated blood vessels. To avoid doing so, make sure to use the proper way of exfoliating your skin through gentle scrubbing.

5. Don’t Smoke​

Many of you might not even recognize that smoking can actually contribute to the appearance of broken blood vessels across your face.

The toxic chemicals inhaled when smoking can cause the blood vessels to constrict and slow down the circulation of nutrients and blood to your skin.

And because these tiny blood vessels are not receiving any nutrients, they respond by permanently dilating to allow more blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen to reach them, resulting in the appearance of broken blood capillaries across your face.

How to Get Rid of Broken Blood Vessels on Face​

You can't fully get rid of broken blood vessels on your face by using only natural remedies. They're only capable of reducing the appearance of these blemishes.

So if you want to get rid of those spider veins completely, we recommend going straight for medical treatments. However, you could still try using those natural remedies and see which works for you.

Now let’s dive into each of them in turn so you can find the best treatment for yourself.

Medical Treatments

According to my research, the only way to fully get rid of those broken blood vessels in your face is through medical treatments such as VBeam Laser, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy, and Sclerotherapy.

1. VBeam Laser Treatment

If you want to get rid of those broken blood vessels in your face fast, you ought to consider a VBeam laser treatment. It has been deemed as the most efficient way of treating unwanted spider veins by many medical experts.

It works by delivering pulsed laser energy at a frequency of 595 nanometers of ultraviolet light. That frequency is absorbed only by the color red, meaning it only affects those broken blood capillaries.

The light energy emitted by the laser is then converted into heat which will be aimed at the broken blood vessel. When heated super fast, that blood vessel will eventually disintegrate.

The number of treatments that you will need to eliminate those broken blood vessels entirely will depend on the severity of your condition. A single treatment typically lasts for around 30 minutes or less.

2. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Therapy

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a recent technology used in a number of skin treatments, including broken blood vessels. It's somewhat similar to laser treatments. The only difference is that it targets a much broader area.

Just like with laser treatments, intense pulsed light therapy delivers pulsed light that is directed through the skin, targeting those unwanted spider veins. The light used is designed to be absorbed only by the color red.

Blood vessels contain hemoglobin (a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood) which is what the laser targets. The absorbed light is then converted to heat, which destroys the broken capillaries.

But unlike laser treatments, intense pulsed light therapy can target many colors in each pulse of light it delivers instead of just one which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.

With continuous treatment, it can also treat other skin lesions, such as brown spots and acne. It can even improve the overall texture and tone of your skin.

However, because it can also target other colors other than red, brown pigments can also get absorbed if it is turned up too high.

3. Sclerotherapy

If you don’t have a problem with needles, then sclerotherapy is for you. It involves injecting a chemical solution, called a sclerosant, which irritates the broken blood vessel, causing it to collapse and dry out.

Sclerotherapy, like light therapy or laser, is often performed in the doctor's office and takes roughly the same amount of time. It's perceived to be less painful than laser treatments. And as a bonus, it's also less expensive.

However, before diving into this kind of treatment, make sure that you're not remotely allergic to the chemical solution that will be injected.

Natural Remedies

If I were you, I wouldn’t rely so much on natural remedies to get rid of those broken blood vessels on your face because although they can reduce the appearance of those spider veins, they won’t eliminate them entirely.

1. Vitamin C and Lysine Supplements

Taking vitamin C and lysine supplements can help reduce the appearance of broken blood vessels on your face. Vitamin C not only helps maintain your skin’s health but can also make your veins stronger.

Lysine can also boost collagen production which gives the skin its strength and elasticity. When taken in unison, it can help boost your cardiovascular system and keep your blood vessels healthy.

However, before taking any vitamin C or lysine supplements, make sure to speak to your doctor to know the proper quantities you need for your diet.

2. Vitamin A (Tretinoin) Creams

You have to remember that no skin cream can make those broken blood vessels disappear. However, vitamin A (tretinoin) creams come quite close.

Vitamin A (tretinoin) creams can help boost collagen production in your skin, thus minimizing the appearance of those broken blood vessels.

It’s usually used daily at bedtime or once every two or three days. Make sure to follow the direction on the prescription label carefully and use it exactly as directed.

3. Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract is a common household product that’s derived from the ground-up seeds of red wine grapes. It contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help in soothing dilated blood vessels.

Grape seed extract is an example of oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which are considered to be among the best herbal supplements for vascular health.

As with many natural remedies, the use of grape seed extract in treating broken blood vessels will only help in reducing its appearance and will not fully eliminate those blemishes.

In applying, simply rub some of the grape seed oil gently onto the affected area and let it sit for a few hours.

4. Horse Chestnut Seed Extract​

Horse chestnut seeds are made of a compound called "aescin" which has anti-inflammatory properties that help in improving blood flow and circulation, making your blood vessels healthier which can enhance their appearance on the surface.

Regular application of horse chestnut extracts can help in reducing the symptoms of spider veins and improving your vascular health.

Topical treatments such as gels and creams that contain horse chestnut extracts can also aid in moisturizing dry skin, which can help reduce the appearance of those broken blood vessels.

The Bottom Line​

Damaging those blood vessels on your face can lead to unsightly spider veins. The worst part is they’re not that easy to treat.

So if I were you, I’d steer clear of anything that might cause these blemishes, because prevention may well be the best treatment for this type of skin condition.

Who would want to spend tons of money on expensive medical treatments when they could put all that effort into trying to prevent broken blood vessels in the first place?