Telangiectasias are tiny, enlarged blood vessels that can appear anywhere on the body, usually on the skin. They can be acquired or congenital and may be harmless or indicate serious medical conditions. Women are more likely to acquire them due to pregnancy hormones, and external factors like sun exposure and skin trauma can also contribute. Certain medical conditions like liver disease and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias can also cause them.
Telangiectasias refer to the tiny, enlarged blood vessels that appear just below the skin’s surface. The abnormal vessels appear in various shapes and sizes and can be seen anywhere on the body although they are usually confined to the skin. Dermatology experts suggest that these pronounced capillaries may be acquired or congenital in nature, and while generally harmless, abnormalities can accompany serious medical conditions.
Composed of arterioles or venules, unusual capillaries typically form beneath the surface of the skin, appearing anywhere on the body. Formations of arterioles appear red while those made up of venules are blue. The formation may contain a few thin irregular lines or consist of a complex intertwining arrangement of tiny vessels. Measuring 1 millimeter in diameter or less, spider veins are often seen on the nose and cheeks. When seen on the legs, especially the thighs, these tiny clusters of blood vessels may be referred to as spider veins, although a true spider vein configuration typically contains a definite circular pattern, radiating from the center outward.
Generally, these dilated vessels start to appear after the age of 18, for a variety of reasons. Women are more likely to acquire telangiectasias than men due to the phenomenon’s association with pregnancy. The hormones associated with pregnancy often weaken the vessel walls along with the additional blood volume, making the small vessels more visible through the skin. Various external factors also contribute to this type of blood vessel formation, including extensive exposure to the sun or cold environment, skin trauma, and certain skin conditions.
Rosacea and port-wine stains are other common examples of these vascular growths under the skin, and while these growths may be unsightly, they’re relatively harmless. Telangiectasias can resemble benign vascular neoplasms; however, the former are typically flat and have no other tissue involvement. Many serious medical conditions can give rise to spider veins, including liver disease and venous hypertension. Pressure within enlarged veins often leads to weakened vessel walls, valve insufficiency, and the formation of telangiectasias.
Also, a genetic disorder known as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias or Osler-Weber-Rendu disease causes these blood vessels to dilate in the skin, mucous membranes, and various organs. The dermal growths associated with this disorder often appear as red or purple spots, but these vascular abnormalities can be many centimeters in size. Wherever these fragile vessels are found, they have a tendency to break and bleed easily. Vascular malformations accompanied by chronic epistaxis or gastrointestinal bleeding can lead to anemia, while localized telangiectasia in the brain or lungs could lead to death.
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