Broken capillaries are damaged, permanently dilated blood vessels under your skin that create red marks on your face–especially around your cheeks, nose, and chin. They can stem from many different causes, including skin trauma, exercise, alcohol, spicy foods, hereditary factors, and more.
There are two types of broken capillaries: red arterial capillaries and blue venous capillaries. Obviously, arterial capillaries are the vessels that give your face a reddish appearance. Fortunately, broken capillaries of this type are closer to the surface of your skin and are easier than deeper blue venous capillaries to both prevent and get rid of.
1. Minimize Skin Trauma
The best way to prevent broken capillaries in the first place is to minimize skin trauma. The skin is a very delicate organ, and is very sensitive to many types of damage and irritation.
Skin trauma that can lead to visible broken capillaries on your face include heat–both from the sun and from excessively hot showers–excessive exfoliation, popping pimples, etc. Treat your skin like the vulnerable organ it is. Turn down the heat in your shower, wear sunscreen with at least SPF 30 on a daily basis, leave your pimples alone, and be gentle when scrubbing and exfoliating your face. Taking precautions like these both prevents the formation of new broken capillaries and keeps existing ones from becoming more obvious.
2. Make Dietary Changes
Making just a few minor changes to your diet can make a huge different in preventing broken capillaries on your face. Certain components of your diet–like spicy food or alcohol–can cause broken capillaries and exacerbate existing ones. Reduce the amount of spicy foods and alcoholic drinks you consume to help prevent broken capillaries from forming.
In addition to cutting down on some parts of your diet, there are also things you can add to your diet to prevent and heat broken capillaries. Vitamin C, for example, kicks up your immune system and helps your body heal damage–like broken capillaries–more quickly and effectively. Bioflavonoids prevent bruising and protect your capillary walls to to keep them strong. Foods that are high in Vitamin C and bioflavonoids include lemons, oranges, grapes, broccoli, onions, and more.
3. Keep it Natural
Many natural topical remedies are effective at treating broken capillaries. For example, moisturizers that feature Vitamin E can help heal your skin and repair damaged capillaries under your skin.
Skin products with anti-inflammatory ingredients–including chamomile, aloe vera, retinol, etc.–can also help reduce redness and decrease the visibility of broken capillaries.
4. Try Laser Treatments
Laser treatments are the harshest, most expensive, and most effective method of getting rid of stubborn broken capillaries. If your broken capillaries are caused by factors that are out of your control–like genetics or extreme sensitivity to the flushing caused by physical exercise–consider trying laser treatments to eliminate them.
By emitting light at certain frequencies, lasers heat up blood cells in your skin and cause them to shrink and shrivel up. These blood cells will eventually disappear, leaving your skin free of the redness that comes from broken capillaries.
