Vascular asterisks (telangiectasia) are the expansion of small vessels of the skin, which is characterized by the appearance of vascular meshes. In this case, the diameter of the vessels can be about 1 mm. Telangiectasia can appear on various parts of the body: legs, face, trunk. However, often the cheeks, nose wings and trunk are most susceptible to the disease.
The content of the article:
External manifestations of vascular asterisks
Characteristic features of vascular asterisks
Causes of vascular asterisks
Diagnosis of telangiectasia
Treatment of vascular asterisks
Prognosis of treatment of vascular asterisks
Vascular asterisks
The size of the spots and their shade depend on the type of affected vessels: the expansion of venous vessels is accompanied by spots of purple and dark blue shades, and the expansion of arterial and capillary vessels is accompanied by thin red grids. Usually telangiectasia is manifested on the skin by separate small foci. However, sometimes whole groups of vascular asterisks may appear.
Vascular asterisks are classified into several groups depending on the nature of their occurrence. It is customary to distinguish primary and secondary forms of the disease. The primary forms include:
hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, in which lesions usually appear in the mouth, on the fingertips, nasal mucosa, and sometimes even on the larynx, bronchi, gastrointestinal tract, brain and liver;
hereditary telangiectasia: in this case, the meshes may occupy large areas of the skin, but completely absent from the mucous membrane;
ataxia-telangiectasia: usually appears in young children, but eventually passes, appears on the auricles, palate, eyes, nasal septum;
nevoidnayateleangiectasia: in this form of the disease, small lesions usually appear on the neck.
Secondary forms of the disease are often symptoms of other diseases. They are most noticeable in violation of the production of collagen and estrogen, solar kerator, basal cell carcinoma, reactions to transplants. Depending on the type of affected vessel, the disease can be arterial (expansion of arterioles), venous (venules), capillary (capillary). Vascular meshes are tree-shaped, star-shaped, spot-shaped and linear in shape.
External manifestations of vascular asterisks
Often vascular asterisks do not appear immediately. Before they appear on the skin, there is a stagnation of venous blood in the extremities. At the same time, the patient may feel severe fatigue and pain. Sometimes patients also complain of seizures, which mainly bother them at night. Often such a symptom appears after any heavy load on the legs.
After some time, vascular asterisks also appear on the skin, especially in the area of the calves of the legs and buttocks. At first, the patient notices very small threads of purple or burgundy shade, which then intertwine with each other and form a mesh. At the same time, such networks begin to occupy quite large areas of the skin. Vascular asterisks can take a very different shape.
Namely, dotted asterisks usually appear in the form of very small dark dots, around which small and thin capillaries of a purple hue accumulate. The patient may also have vascular spider webs that look like thin spider legs. Over time, such asterisks begin to thicken very much and take up a lot of space.
Spiral vascular asterisks may also occur, which outwardly resemble convoluted vessels of red color, which do not connect with each other. Tree-like vessels usually appear and form around the vein. They are very thin, branched and can connect with each other.
Characteristic features of vascular asterisks
Vascular asterisks come in different sizes and shades. However, red and purple spots are most often diagnosed. Usually, when pressed on the stars, they begin to fade, but over time their color returns again. In addition to the presence of pronounced asterisks, the patient may also complain of symptoms such as unpleasant sensations in the place of accumulation of vascular asterisks, as well as a feeling of tingling and heat in the affected area.
However, almost always vascular asterisks are completely painless. Only in the rarest cases does pain appear in women during menstruation. It is worth urgently contacting a doctor if a woman has noticed a vascular mesh on the mammary gland. Usually such a vascular mesh is very small, but pronounced and noticeable. Its danger lies in the fact that it indicates the development of a malignant tumor.
Causes of vascular asterisks
The causes of pathology can be diverse. In addition, it is often a symptom of other diseases. It is believed that vascular asterisks appear due to the following diseases:
varicose veins;
radiation dermatitis;
rosacea and other chronic dermatological pathologies;
hormonal imbalance;
pigment xenoderm;
long-term use of conticosteroids;
radiation dermatitis;
Raynaud’s disease, which affects the arteries;
harmful effect of ultraviolet rays on the skin;
genetic predisposition;
diseases that are accompanied by atoxia.
In some cases, vascular asterisks can be symptoms of serious diseases that disrupt the work of many body systems. In particular, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, capillary damage to the nail rollers is often observed. With dermatomyositis, soreness of the fingertips and vasodilation are noted. Scleroderma is usually accompanied by specific vascular asterisks, which are represented by multiple foci on the hands, mucous membranes and face. In the case of Randu-Osler’s disease, patients are found to have hemorrhagic telangiectasia on the mucous membranes of the bronchi, tongue, gastrointestinal tract.
Diagnosis of telangiectasia
After the onset of the first symptoms of the disease, an urgent appointment with a doctor is required. In many cases, it was a timely appeal to a dermatologist for help that helped patients to start treatment on time, and then completely get rid of vascular asterisks. The doctor’s appointment usually begins with the collection of complaints and anamnesis. The data obtained will help the doctor to make a diagnosis quickly and avoid any additional diagnostic tests.
After interviewing the patient, his examination begins. Namely, the doctor carefully examines the vessels of the legs and determines the type and stage of the disease. In addition, he necessarily prescribes ultrasound dopplerography of the vessels of the legs. Based on the results obtained, the doctor finds out the cause of the disease, since treatment tactics will depend on it in the future. In some cases, to make a more accurate diagnosis, you may need to consult other specialists (endocrinologist, dermatologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist).
Treatment of vascular asterisks
The most effective method of treatment of vascular asterisks is considered to be sclerotherapy. This is a safe procedure that can be carried out without surgical intervention and the need to make incisions on the skin, since the doctor injects the medicine through a special thin needle. The drug first damages the inner lining of the vessels, after which it glues together. Thanks to this procedure, the vein completely gets rid of the lumen, and the necessary connective tissue is formed in the tissues.
It is worth noting that there are several types of sclerotherapy, the choice between which is made based on the results of the diagnosis of the disease, its severity, the degree of skin damage and other factors.
Sclerotherapy of segmental varicose veins
Sclerotherapy of segmental varicose veins is usually prescribed for effective action on segmental veins. This procedure is carried out in three sessions. Sometimes patients have a complication in the form of hyperpigmentation, which takes place within a month to six months.
Microsclerotherapy
Microsclerotherapy is performed to restore reticular veins. The patient will need to undergo two sessions of this procedure. At the same time, it is advisable to combine it with a cold wrap, as this will give a very good result. One of the most innovative methods of removing vascular meshes is foam-form sclerotherapy, in which a special solution is used, which is a microfilm.
Echosclerotherapy
Echosclerotherapy effectively affects the communicative veins, while removing the lumen. After the operation, the doctor may also prescribe a procedure such as postoperative sclerotherapy. It is worth noting that sclerotherapy is still a cosmetic procedure, the main purpose of which is to eliminate the consequences of the disease, not its causes.
Laser coagulation
Laser coagulation is considered to be a more effective and innovative method of dealing with dilated vessels. The essence of this procedure is that the laser beam penetrates deep under the skin, where it selectively affects the vessels. Under the influence of very high temperature, the walls of the vessels begin to stick together. At the same time, healthy tissues remain intact.
Radio Wave surgery
For the treatment of the disease, the method of radio wave surgery can also be used. With the help of high-frequency waves, a non-contact incision of tissues is carried out, during which their injury does not occur. During this procedure, vascular asterisks are amenable to coagulation, after which they heal without swelling and pain, as well as scar formation. To date, this technique is the most effective and least traumatic. However, it can only be used to remove small vascular asterisks.
Ozone therapyOften, the method of ozone therapy is chosen for the treatment of the disease. It involves the introduction of an ozone mixture under the skin, the main component of which is highly concentrated ozone. This method is effective for the simple reason that ozone molecules trigger a very complex biochemical oxidative process in cells, which contributes to the destruction of dilated vessels. The result of this procedure is the complete disappearance of vascular asterisks.Prognosis of treatment of vascular asterisksPrognosis of treatment of vascular asterisksVascular asterisks are rather a noticeable aesthetic disadvantage than a serious disease. However, their treatment is still necessary. When the first symptoms of the disease occur, it is recommended to make an appointment with a dermatologist. If you detect vascular asterisks at an early stage of their development and establish the exact cause of their appearance, in this case it will be quite easy to get rid of them. As a rule, timely treatment and properly selected methods guarantee a favorable prognosis.
