Q My skin is in good condition for my age (57), but I have a small cluster of broken capillaries on the apple of one of my cheeks. How might they be eradicated?
A Your long-term skincare regime of retinol and SPF is perfect for strengthening, thickening and protecting your skin, so don’t change it.
But broken capillaries won’t go away with topical products; light-based treatments are the most reliable option for you.
Laser specialist Debbie Thomas will use either IPL (intense pulsed light), yellow laser or Nd:Yag laser, depending on the state of your capillaries. You’ll feel some zingy zaps (nothing too painful) as the light is absorbed by the red pigment and turns into heat that destroys the veins.
‘One to three sessions are needed to reduce and sometimes completely eliminate veins,’ says Thomas, ‘and you might need maintenance treatments every one or two years.’
She charges £150-£200 per session for a very small patch of veins at her London clinic (dthomas.com), but the treatments are widely available.
In the meantime, to help minimise the look of angry red veins, try using a little pale green colour-correcting concealer under your foundation.
Daniel Sandler Anti-Redness Concealer (£14.95, sephora.co.uk), works brilliantly.
