Telangiectasia (or thread veins) are small dilated blood vessels. They can occur on the legs, and are also commonly seen on the face, especially around the cheeks and nose of adults with fair skin. The predisposition to developing this condition is usually heredity, although they can also be related to such factors as skin ageing and photodamage, steroid use, and pregnancy.
Facial telangiectasia usually respond very well to IPL treatment with only one or two treatments.
Leg telangiectasia can be more difficult to treat, due to the higher vascular pressures encountered and presence of underlying venous incompetence. Leg telangiectasia tend to lie deeper in the skin than facial vessels, in this instance and particularly if the leg vessels have a blue-purple hue, our ND:YAG laser is particularly effective. However, smaller red vessels can be attempted with the IPL. Best results are seen when treating leg vessels of approximately 0.5-2 mm in diameter.
