How to Get Rid of Broken Capillaries on Your Face

May 2024 ยท 5 minute read

Broken capillaries are thin, ribbon-like lines that populate the lower half of your face โ€” especially around your nose, cheeks, and mouth. There is nothing wrong with having broken capillaries; however, if you prefer a complexion sans red blotches, there are ways to diminish their appearance.

Using concealer or foundation is one way to cover up broken capillaries, albeit temporarily. If you're looking for a more permanent fix, try these tips from dermatologists Sameer Bashey and Brian Hibler to get rid of those red spider veins for good.

Meet the expert

Keep reading to discover what causes broken capillaries on the face and how to treat them.

What Are Broken Capillaries?

"Broken capillaries are enlarged blood vessels just below the skin surface," said Dr. Hibler. "They are most common on the face and lower legs." 

According to Dr. Bashey, this condition is caused by several factors like sun damage, genetics, aging (thinning skin), and trauma.

Over time, the sun's rays thin out the skin, which causes a decrease in collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid

"As this occurs, blood vessels become slightly more obvious and emerge close to the junction between the epidermis and the dermis," explained Dr. Bashey. 

Usually, these slightly spidery enlarged veins are small, dysfunctional capillaries. Anyone who exposes themselves to the sun without proper SPF protection is putting themselves at risk of developing broken capillaries. While they can occur in any skin type, they are most common in fair-skinned individuals with thin or sensitive skin and those with skin conditions such as rosacea and scleroderma, per Dr. Hibler.

How to Prevent the Skin Condition

Proper sun protection is the best way to prevent broken capillaries. On top of wearing sunscreen and following a personalized skin-care routine, Dr. Bashey suggested making a few lifestyle changes.

For starters, wear a hat outdoors and avoid tanning or laying out in the sun from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. These precautions are especially important for those with rosacea because they're typically more sensitive to heat and sunlight.

Proper sun protection is the best way to prevent broken capillaries.

"By avoiding heat, limiting sun exposure, and avoiding other triggers that cause flushing in susceptible individuals โ€” like hot or spicy foods and alcohol consumption โ€” you may be able to prevent ... broken capillaries or slow their appearance," explained Dr. Hibler. "However, once they're present, only an in-office laser or light treatment will get rid of them."

How to Get Rid of Broken Capillaries

Although we love a good DIY treatment, according to Dr. Hibler, an in-office treatment is the only way to permanently get rid of broken capillaries. 

"There are no safe, effective at-home remedies for broken capillaries," Dr. Hibler added.

Try laser therapy.

"The best, long-term solution to reduce redness and eliminate broken capillaries is to treat with a laser or light device," said Dr. Hibler. "These treatments use specific wavelengths of light which are absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood vessels to seal them off."

One type to try? Pulse lasers, which "target anything on the face that is red and spares surrounding tissue that does not have ... hemoglobin," explained Dr. Bashey. 

There are two settings to this laser: One that bruises and one that doesn't. 

"The non-bruising setting is less effective and will require more treatments, but essentially does not have much downtime at all," Dr. Bashey noted.

Another option to ask your derm about is the 1064 Nd:YAG laser. 

"This laser is often used for capillary formation around the nose," said Dr. Bashey. "It is often the [go-to] laser when the pulse dye laser fails. It works through a similar mechanism but acts deeper in the skin due to its long wave."

Consider a light treatment.

Photo: Getty Images / MajaMitrovic

Dr. Hibler suggested an alternative to laser treatments is a light treatment with an intense pulse light device. This minimizes the redness caused by capillaries forming, as well as pigmentation from sun damage through the use of intense, broad-spectrum pulses of light.

Apply a topical treatment.

"There are some topical treatments, such as oxymetazoline, which act as a vasoconstrictor to temporarily reduce redness on the face due to broken capillaries," Dr. Hibler told us. "Studies have shown that consistent usage of this topical medication can reduce background redness."

Conceal with makeup.

"For those not ready to undergo an in-office procedure, green-tinted cosmetic products can be used to help camouflage redness and broken blood vessels on the face," said Dr. Hibler.

We suggest something like the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Color Corrector ($23).

When to See a Professional

"Broken capillaries typically do not result in any symptoms or harm to a patient and do not require treatment," Dr. Hibler said. "However, if you're bothered cosmetically by broken capillaries, they can be safely and effectively treated with a laser with little to no downtime."

Dr. Bashey also warned that deeper skin tones may experience hyperpigmentation from the heat-based devices used for broken capillary treatment. He also noted that aftercare should include applying sunscreen immediately and avoiding the sun for a few hours. Then, you can go back to your usual skin-care routine and lifestyle.

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