Telangiectasia

An increase in the size of small blood vessels beneath the surface of an area of skin, causing redness and a “broken veins” appearance. It is most common on the nose and cheeks. There may be no obvious cause, or the condition may be due to many years of excessive alcohol consumption, rosacea, overexposure to sunlight, or a connective tissue disease such as dermatomyositis. Telangiectasia is not a cause for concern, but the veins can be removed in some cases by electrodesiccation (electrical destruction of the upper layers of the skin). (See also spider naevus.)