Vein Treatment Q&A
52%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
23 Reviews
Vein Treatmentbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Vein Treatment Cost: $725

Learn about Vein Treatment

196 people and 139 doctors are talking about Vein Treatment

Get Free Email Updates

Broken Blood Vessels or Spider Veins?

asked 2 years ago by nikkicoops in London
Latest answer by Jason R. Lupton, MD
Question viewed 927 times
Tags: arms, redness, broken capillaries, cherry angiomas, skin, spider veins

I have got these red marks on my arms. They are quite small and round. I have seen 2 different skin specialists and been given 2 different outcomes. One said they are spider veins and should be treated with IPL; I have looked this up on the net and it does match them. The other said broken blood vessels, and should be treated with Pulsed Dye Laser. Please, can you give me some advise on what would be best to go for as I am really unsure? I look forward to hearing from you.

3 answers to Broken Blood Vessels or Spider Veins?

+1

Cherry angiomas

These sound like they could be cherry angiomas - small 2-4mm diameter red spots that can occur anywhere on the body. Although benign, these can often be unsightly, especially when there are numerous lesions present. Fortunately these lesions are very amenable to laser treatment. If the spots are small enough, just one treatment may be necessary. I always use a pulsed dye laser for these types of growths. A pulsed dye laser is specific for the blood vessels and is far superior to any... more
Jason R. Lupton, MD

San Diego Dermatologist
+1

Broken blood vessels or spider veins

Hi, Both doctors are correct. Broken blood vessels are the same thing as spider veins. The most accurate way to treat them is with a laser designed to target specifically the blood vessels (or the red blood cells in them). There are many lasers designed to do this such as the pulsed dye laser or KTP laser. I think these are a much more accurate way to treat. IPL can treat them in some cases, but not the treatment of choice. Hope this helps.
Tomi L. Wall, MD

Oakland Dermatologist
+1

Small red round marks may be cherry angioma

A proper diagnosis will determine the treatment. Actually broken blood vessels and spider veins are the same thing. But from your description, you may have cherry angioma. IPL is the least invasive as it is not a laser treatment but a light treatment. IPL will seldom cause anything more than a slight crusting of pigmented areas which will then fall off. The light also seals small blood vessels so you can get two problems treated at the same time. A KTP laser is more specific for... more
Nissan Pilest, MD

Irvine Dermatologic Surgeon

Ask a question