Small red dots on face and visible blood vessels up close
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Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:27 pm

Hello,

I am new here posting but read the forums from time to time. I am 30 yr old female looking for some help/insight. I developed some acne on my chin about 6 mos. ago so I started getting facials with microdermabrasion and extractions. I get then about once a month. Lately I have been noticing pin-like red dots randomly on my face and some visible blood vessels. The blood vessels and red marks are only really visible when I look up close and pull my skin apart. Are these normal to have at my age? Does everyone have visible blood vessels on face is they pull skin apart?

I am wondering if the extractions have caused the blood vessels to be visible because my estetitician (sp?) pushes pretty hard. My dermatologist said I do not have rosacea but some eczema on my face (dry skin). Now I'm not sure wha the deal is. I wonder if I am making too big a deal out of this and obsessing. My family cannot see anything wrong with my complexion but I am concerned. I also have some whiteheads around my face and sides of nose. Should I be worried about all of this?

Thanks so much in advance,
Pam

free skin care · Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:16 am

Hello there, and welcome.

I wouldn't be worried, just very gentle with your skin. I have a bunch of tiny broken vessels which I think are not rosacea but the result of past acne and harsh treatments (buf-puf especially).

You might want to dial back the aggressive treatments or ask your esthetician to be more gentle than before. You can also ask your derm about how to remove the red spots--the answer may be as simple as a little electrolysis, or maybe lasers. And there are other acne treatments out there too--I use tretinoin cream 3x/wk and Clindamycin gel on spots.

Good luck and hope this helps,
Kay

free skin care · Sat Jul 23, 2011 10:56 am

We are the same age and I have some broken caps. Its normal.

Sat Jul 23, 2011 10:11 pm

Ava and Rockhugger,

Thank you for your replies. So broken caps on upper cheeks and near nose are normal? That is good to know. I guess they can be from sun damage... probably a sign of getting older too. Maybe I should dial down the aggressive treatments when I get facials.

Thanks again for your help!

Pam

free skin care · Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:49 am

Yes this is very normal. Any trauma to the skin can cause them. If you are doing any aggressive treatments I'd definitely stop.

free skin care · Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:29 am

I have them on the top of my nose, welcoming me to my thirties. Alcohol consumption seems to make them worse (I don't have rosacea). I haven't found a good solution for these yet, so I try not to let them bother me. They aren't noticable to anyone else except me.

Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:07 am

So those small faint red "lines" that only I can see (my mom swears she sees nothing even though I see them when I look in the mirror up close) are broken caps and are normal? Ugh, I hate them!!

free skin care · Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:09 am

You can look into laser to get rid of them. Vbeam is suppose to be good for this or even IPL. It often require multiple treatments and maintenance though.

Tue Jul 26, 2011 2:12 am

Thanks everyone who has responded to me! I have been thinking about how i possibly got all of these broken caps/visible blood vessels on my face.. i got about 3 or 4 treatments of microdermabrasion within the past 4 or 5 months including the facials and extractions. My cheeks and nose have visible blood vessels all over them and i don't ever remember having them before the microderm. I am wondering if this is a coincidence or if my estetician caused this. Weird thing is that i haven't had microderm in a couple of months but im just noticing the marks. (I have gotten facials and extractions done rcently though). I really dont think that i have rosacea as i dont flush but could have microdermabrasion brought it on?? Im deeply upset because i used to have such beautiful skin. I doesn't look bad to any of my friends and family but i guess we are our own worst critics" ya know?

I realize that broken caps are normal when it comes to age, but i seem to have a lot that developed over the blue. What should i do? I feel like my face looks so blotchy and Im kind of mad! Has anyone else here had this kind of "reaction" to microdermabrasion? The treatments were pretty harsh, I remember her aggressively exfoliating and I'd be red for 2 days after. I'm not sure what to do next. Any help/ideas/input?

Vbeam or IPL could help me? Is there a chance they could make things worse? They dont look "bad" to anyone else but me but Im worried about getting more of them.

Please tell me this isnt rosacea...

Thanks everyone,
Pam

free skin care · Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:00 am

Microdermabrasion can definitely cause broken caps but so can extractions/aggressive facials.

If you think it could be rosacea see a derm, they can tell you for sure.

As I mentioned, Vbeam or IPL (there are other laser/light treatments also)could help but often requires multiple treatments and maintenance. If it bothers you set up some consults to check into which treatment would best treat your case.

Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:43 pm

Thanks Girliegirl for your reply. I assume Vbeam and I. PL are expensive. Do you know if they both require multiple treatments if the caps are mild? I wonder what the down time is and if theres a risk for scarring or making thins worse?

I really do not think that it is rosacea. I think my skin is just changing as i get older. As a few people have responded that they are around my age and have some visible caps on their cheeks.

Thanks for your help!

Wed Jul 27, 2011 1:46 pm

Thanks Girliegirl for your reply. I assume Vbeam and I. PL are expensive. Do you know if they both require multiple treatments if the caps are mild? I wonder what the down time is and if theres a risk for scarring or making thins worse?

I really do not think that it is rosacea. I think my skin is just changing as i get older. As a few people have responded that they are around my age and have some visible caps on their cheeks.

Thanks for your help!

free skin care · Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:26 am

pslaby03 wrote:

I assume Vbeam and I. PL are expensive. Do you know if they both require multiple treatments if the caps are mild? I wonder what the down time is and if theres a risk for scarring or making thins worse?

Thanks for your help!

I'm not GirlyGirl, but I have some info. Currently, I am undergoing a series of IPL treatments for diffuse facial redness (telangiectasia). They cost $300 each, and I'll probably have 4 -5 treatments spaced 4 - 8 weeks apart(I have a LOT of redness, and some melasma, which can also be treated). I'm in California, so the price may be less elsewhere. There is often very little down time,if any, but it depends on the skill of the treater - it can cause redness and swelling. Even then, if you did it on a Friday, you'd be fine for work by Monday. I have not had a dedicated V-beam treatment but I believe the price is comparable.

Sun Jul 31, 2011 7:47 am

I have those too, according to my derm they are genetic.

Diode laser (it's probably called stg. else but that's what it is technically) is the most effective thing I've found for them and it usually only takes one treatment.

It has worked where IPL and other lasers have failed for me. The results so far seem to be permanent.

But it's not cheap and you need to find a really good practitioner, otherwise you risk scarring (like with any laser).

free skin care · Thu Sep 01, 2011 9:54 am

tessera wrote:

I am undergoing a series of IPL treatments for diffuse facial redness (telangiectasia). They cost $300 each, and I'll probably have 4 -5 treatments spaced 4 - 8 weeks apart(I have a LOT of redness, and some melasma, which can also be treated). I'm in California, so the price may be less elsewhere.

I just made an appt. with my derm (in Southern California) for a VBeam treatment in two weeks. I was told IPL isn't good for capillaries. I have redness on cheeks near the nose, and on my chin. If I look really, really close, it looks like extremely tiny capillaries. I also have a strawberry mark I want removed. I've had it since birth. It's not a bumpy, raised one though. The cost will be $150 per area. My only concern is the derm didn't mention repeated treatments.

My doc didn't mention a diode laser and I've never heard of it. Is it new? My doc teaches at USC Medical School so I would think she'd be up on the latest technology but you never know.

Thu Sep 01, 2011 11:29 am

Hmm. The only red dots I notice are on my upper neck and those are from hot oil splatter from my student years while making baccon & eggs before classes.

I suppose I should look into getting those removed as well somehow, but it's no real emergency to me at this time.

free skin care · Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:23 am

I've read some horrible stories about laser treatments where people sought treatment for something VERY minor but ended up with some very MAJOR side effects!!!!!! Be very careful.

From my own personal experience, I would say, if you are the only person who can see these red spots then leave them alone - the body knows how to heal itself. I had a horrible outcome from laser after seeking treatment for what I was told was rosacea - ends up it was not rosacea but my skin reacting badly to all of the chemicals in the tap water - mostly chlorine!

Proceed with laser with EXTREME CAUTION! Whatever the treatment is that is recommended to you, don't proceed straight-away - say to the clinic you want to think about it for a while - then go home and RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH all of the potential side effects and adverse outcomes for that particular procedure! You will be horried at all of the legitimate laser horror stories on the internet! Look up IPL and Laser Damage Support - I'm a victim myself and my case is currently with lawyers - my face WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!! Shock

Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:56 am

Glam, all the places near me refuse to even do the simplest of things without a reference from a physician first to avoid that very problem.

Though that doesn't mean mis-diagnosis isn't going to happen still, but it does help to cover their backs.

Did you skip this step and go straight to an aesthetician instead?

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