I had micro-needling. Looks like I have broken capillaries. Will they go away?

Question

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Small red dots after microneedling may be tiny needle marks and not broken capillaries.  Usually,  they resolve in less than a week.  Just be diligent with sunblock .  If they are still present after 7 days I would contact your provider.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

This needs treatment with vascular lasers as likely there was too much agression used during the microneedling for your skin.  I suggest proper skin care and laser treatment. Best, Dr. Emer.

Amiya Prasad, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. You underwent microneedling, and now you’re noticing broken capillaries, so you’re asking will they go away.
I can give you some idea of what I’m thinking when I hear a question like this, in the absence of a photo and a timeframe. A little background: I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. I have been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. Microneedling is among a wide range of procedures we do a lot if in our practice.
I would start by asking whether or not you were aware of the presence of the capillaries before the microneedling. Often, people look at themselves with much more detail after they undergo a procedure. In my practice, I routinely take a lot of photos, and I review those photos with my patient. An example if an indication for microneedling is help patients who have sun damaged skin. Sun damaged skin is characterized by discoloration, wrinkling, and broken capillaries. The case may be you already had broken capillaries, and were only aware of them after undergoing the microneedling process. 
Often people look at themselves and see detail of things they haven't noticed before. Let’s say the broken capillaries occurred after you underwent the microneedling. The response to wound healing, which is the principle of a lot of different treatments,  from chemical peels, lasers, etc., all depend on a certain wound healing process. During that wound healing process, there is the proliferation of blood vessels, therefore it can be possible the visible blood vessels are a response of your body to the microneedling treatment. This is something that hopefully will make a distinction with the practitioner who performed the treatment.
If you look at wound healing as a process, generally the phase where blood vessels can be produced is called the proliferative phase that’s within the first month after any type of injury. In addition, it might be worth thinking about whether or not these vessels have become much more visible, not necessarily caused by mirconeedling, but due to the natural aging of the skin. It doesn't mean you aged significantly since the microneedling, but it is a common knowledge in the medical field that a lot of these vessels become more obvious as the collagen diminishes in the skin. 
To treat broken vessels or what’s called telangiectasias, we typically use lasers to close off those vessels, and we can see how significant of an issue they are. Usually that takes a couple of treatments, and is something you can also explore with your practitioner for the management of the vessels. It’s always safe to observe. You don't always have to jump on something quickly, but that understanding the indications for the microneedling, and if it is possible that the level of aggressiveness or microneedling may need to be adjusted. 
In the absence of a photo and the details, it’s important for you to know that microneedling can be superficial at half a millimeter, all the way down to close to 2 millimeters. Those levels of depth can also be marked by the aggressiveness and the rate in which the mirconeedling is performed. There is a lot of nuance in this treatment, and often well-meaning practitioners will be very aggressive. That aggressiveness may result in some untoward side-effects. Generally, it’s a very safe procedure. I think most practitioners tend to lean on the conservative side to observe. 
When we do these treatments, we want to see how our patients respond. A lot of cosmetic dermatologic procedures are done conservatively, basically treat, then observe the response. You can compare it to the way laser hair removal is done. We tend to do a lower, more conservative setting before going up in the energy. 
I think it’s important for you to have a dialogue with your practitioner, and look at the overall strategy. Look at the response you’ve had with the microneedling. The principle of microneedling is called collagen induction therapy. In many ways, it does a lot of things that overlaps with lasers, but without the heat. It has a lot of value, but like any tool, it has to be applied in the most optimal way. I hope that was helpful, I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for your question.

Martie Gidon, MD, FRCPC, FAAD · Answer

Tiny bruises can occur after microneedling but they clear in a few days.  If you have actual veins, they can be treated with IPL or a vascular laser.

Theodore Staahl, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

If you truly have broken capillaries as a result of microneedling they will not go away on their own.  Intense pulse light (IPL) treatments are often highly effective in treating these sorts of lesions.  You may need multiple treatments.  I recommend scheduling a consultation with an experienced provider in your area.

I had micro-needling. Looks like I have broken capillaries. Will they go away?

Answers (5)

Answer: Microneedling

Answer: Microneedling

Answer: Broken capillaries after microneedling

Answer: Broken capillaries after microneedling

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I had micro-needling. Looks like I have broken capillaries. Will they go away?

Answers (5)

Answer: Microneedling

Answer: Microneedling

Answer: Broken capillaries after microneedling

Answer: Broken capillaries after microneedling

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Microneedling

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.