Broken Blood Vessels

Broken blood vessels, or petechiae, occur when capillaries leak blood into to skin. Broken blood vessels are normally caused by trauma, such as bumping into something or falling. Older adults tend to have more broken blood vessels because their skin is thinner.

There are two possible results of a broken blood vessel. When it is caused by an injury on the body a painful bruise or welt appears on the skin. Depending on the size and severity of the bruise, healing time can range from days to weeks. The color of the blood under the skin changes as the broken blood vessel heals. People who take anti-coagulant medication are more susceptible to bruising because the blood is thinner. If a blood vessel is broken due to medication or an underlying illness, the result is a bright red spot under the skin.

A broken blood vessel in the eye is called subconjunctival hemorrhage. The condition is not painful and can be caused by coughing, sneezing or even heavy lifting. Unless the subconjunctival hemorrhage is caused by another medical condition, it will go away on its own in 7-14 days.

Blood vessels sometimes break on the face. As with subconjunctival hemorrhage, broken blood vessels in the face can be prevented in some cases. They can be caused by too much sun exposure or scrubbing the face too hard while washing it. Dr. Zizmor offers a variety of treatments that will minimize the unsightly appearance of broken blood vessels.

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