Assessment, treatment and new approaches to facial veins

Abstract

Patients with prominent or cosmetically embarrassing facial veins may often seek an aesthetic opinion for removal. The authors present a methodology to approach classifying facial veins by describing the veins in terms of position, colour, size and flat or bulging appearance. Tiny telangiectasia (also known as thread or spider veins) or smaller discrete blue/green or green veins are regularly treated by heat, using electrocautery, radiofrequency, intense pulsed light or extra-corporeal laser. However, the authors present the use of microphlebectomy, endovenous laser and arterial ligation for larger facial veins and arteries that are often thought to be too big or complex to treat.