Telangiectasia

We deal with other people every day. A healthy appearance with flawless skin is very beneficial. But what happens when unsightly vasodilatation spreads across the face, of all places? Here the doctor speaks of one Telangiectasia.

What is telangiectasia?

A 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 in the face is called couperose. In the leg area, telangiectasias are better known as so-called spider veins.

However, both forms are harmless. Telangiectasia does not resolve on its own, however. Once on, telangiectasias are irreversible. Telangiectasia affects women just as much as men.

causes

The causes of a Telangiectasia are diverse. It is clear that there is a hereditary problem. If first-degree relatives have increased telangiectasias, the likelihood of suffering from them increases.

Telangiectasia usually occurs in adulthood. The reason: with increasing age, the connective tissue also loses its strength. The capillaries lying under the skin no longer have a hold and become visible. Sometimes telangiectasias also arise 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 telangiectasias. Extended 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. Mostly places on the face, hands and legs are affected. Patients regularly complain about the skin change if it is visible in everyday life. Then it makes life difficult.

Those affected withdraw and sometimes a mental illness develops. Mostly it is a cosmetic problem. The enlarged blood vessels rarely indicate a disease. Sometimes telangiectasia is genetic. Then it is already there in childhood. Often it occurs in old age.

The capillaries become visible as the connective tissue slackens. People with the cosmetic blemish have sometimes fed incorrectly or one-sidedly for months. Their occurrence also partly refers to intensive sunbathing in recent years. The reddish capillaries are typical in alcoholics.

If the characteristic vessels appear on the body, one should consult a doctor. Despite the usually not serious cause, they can point to an illness. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis and assign the visible vessels to other symptoms. Possible diseases include rosacea, Osler syndrome, basalioma, collagenosis, Spidernaevi and carcinoid syndrome.

Diagnosis & course

Telangiectasia are widespread and usually harmless. Therefore, anyone can diagnose telangiectasia in front of the mirror at home.

In some cases, a specialist should only assess the causes of telangiectasia. These cases exist when the visible vasodilatation occurs 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 an underlying disease is suspected (cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism).

However, if telangiectasia occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, 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

Because of telangiectasia, those affected suffer from very strong aesthetic complaints. Since these occur mainly on the face, most patients feel very uncomfortable with the symptoms and suffer from a significantly reduced self-esteem or also from inferiority complexes. This often leads to the development of psychological moods or depression.

The quality of life of those affected is considerably restricted and reduced due to telangiectasia. The patients suffer from a dilatation of the vessels, so that they are visible on the face with a reddish color. It can also lead to bleeding. Telangiectasia can, however, also occur in the intestine and lead to bleeding there too. As a rule, these are noticeable in a courageous bowel movement.

However, complications only arise when the symptoms occur very frequently. They then usually point to another underlying disease. For this reason, the treatment takes place depending on the underlying disease. It cannot be universally predicted whether the outcome will be completely positive. Telangiectasia can also lead to the formation of scars if not treated properly.

When should you go to the doctor?

Changes in the complexion of the skin are basically complaints that should be observed more closely or expertly assessed. If red capillaries form on the face, there is usually no cause for concern from a medical point of view. These skin abnormalities are not a disease-related disorder. A doctor is therefore often not needed. In many cases, the connective tissue loses its strength with age. As a result, the capillaries no longer have a hold and become visible. Therefore, medical care is not required for a large number of those affected.

However, if the person concerned suffers from abnormal skin conditions, irregular behavior or severe emotional stress states, a doctor should be consulted. The person concerned needs help with feelings of shame, withdrawal from social life or reduced self-esteem. 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 peculiarities of bowel movements. Since telangiectasia can also be a sign of a tumor, a doctor should be consulted when it occurs to clarify the cause.

Treatment & Therapy

Treating a Telangiectasia always belongs in medical hands. In the harmless variants of telangiectasia, an intense light pulse can be directed onto the affected area of ​​the skin.

As a result of this intense heat radiation, the blood coagulates at the ends of the greatly enlarged vessels. As a result, these vessels sink back into the deeper layers of the skin. They can no longer be seen with the naked eye. This visible improvement in the skin occurs very quickly after the treatment. The method is known in the art as ILP-2 treatment.

Microdermabrasion treatment can also be used for telangiectasia. This removes dead skin cells and supplies the skin with new nutrients. The goal: The natural renewal process of the skin should be stimulated. Blood sponges and spider veins can be removed with conventional laser treatments. However, it should be noted that these lasers are more aggressive than the 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 in the foreground. Only then should a cosmetic treatment be considered.

prevention

At 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 follow-up measures are relatively limited in most cases, so that the person affected with this disease is primarily dependent on an early diagnosis of the disease. This has a positive effect on the further course and can prevent 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, the patients are dependent on the intake of various medications, always paying attention to the correct dosage and regular intake. If anything is unclear or if there are side effects, a doctor should always be consulted first. Telangiectasia does not reduce the life expectancy of the person affected. The further course cannot generally be predicted.

You can do that yourself

Whether as spider veins or couperose, telangiectasias are unsightly, but generally harmless. However, patients should have a dermatologist clarify whether there is a disease behind the visible veins. An underlying disease can be treated if necessary. Telangiectasias that have already developed, however, usually remain, especially if they cannot be removed with the laser.

People who are prone to developing telangiectasias 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 this also exacerbates the problem. Even the rapid change from cold to heat, such as in winter, supports the formation of visible veins.

Anyone suffering from telangiectasias, for example because they can be clearly seen 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 patient exactly how to do this.

Psychotherapeutic treatment is indicated when the red veins disturb the patient so much that he withdraws. These patients also benefit from relaxation techniques such as Reiki, yoga or Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation.