Telangiectasia
Vascular ectasias; Spider angiomaTelangiectasias are small, widened blood vessels on the skin. They are usually harmless, but may be associated with several diseases.
Causes
Telangiectasias may develop anywhere within the body. But they are most easily seen on the skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes. Usually, they do not cause symptoms. Some telangiectasias bleed and cause significant problems. Telangiectasias may also occur in the brain or intestines and cause major problems from bleeding.
Causes may include:
- Rosacea (skin problem that causes the face to turn red)
- Aging
- Problem with genes
- Pregnancy
- Sun exposure
- Varicose veins
- Overuse of steroid creams
- Trauma to the area
Diseases associated with this condition include:
- Ataxia-telangiectasia (disease that affects the skin, balance, coordination, and other areas of the body)
Ataxia-telangiectasia
Ataxia-telangiectasia is a rare childhood disease. It affects the brain and other parts of the body. Ataxia refers to uncoordinated movements, such ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Bloom syndrome (inherited disease that causes short stature, skin sensitivity to ultraviolet rays of the sun, and redness of the face)
- Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (skin disease causing patches of redness)
- Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome)
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an inherited disorder of the blood vessels that can cause excessive bleeding.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (disease that causes port-wine stain, varicose veins, and soft tissue problems)
- Nevus flammeus such as port-wine stain
Nevus flammeus
Red birthmarks are skin markings created by blood vessels close to the skin surface. They develop before or shortly after birth.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePort-wine stain
A port-wine stain is a birthmark in which swollen blood vessels create a reddish-purplish discoloration of the skin.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Rosacea (skin condition that causes redness of the face)
Rosacea
Rosacea is a chronic skin problem that makes your face turn red. It may also cause swelling and skin sores that look like acne.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Sturge-Weber disease (disease that involves port-wine stain and nervous system problems)
Sturge-Weber disease
Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare disorder that is present at birth. A child with this condition will have a port-wine stain birthmark (usually ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Xeroderma pigmentosum (disease in which the skin as well as the tissue covering the eye are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light)
Xeroderma pigmentosum
Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare condition passed down through families. XP causes the skin and tissue covering the eye to be extremely sensitiv...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Lupus (immune system disease)
Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - CREST syndrome (a type of scleroderma that involves the buildup of scar-like tissue in the skin and elsewhere in the body and damages the cells that line the walls of small arteries)
Scleroderma
Scleroderma is a disease that involves the buildup of fibrous tissue in the skin and elsewhere in the body. It also damages the cells that line the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you notice enlarged vessels in the skin, mucous membranes, or eyes.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
Your provider will perform a physical exam and ask about your symptoms, including:
- Where are the blood vessels located?
- Do they bleed easily and without reason?
- What other symptoms are present?
Tests may be needed to diagnose or rule out a medical condition. Tests may include:
- Blood tests
- CT scans
CT scans
A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Liver function studies
- MRI scans
MRI scans
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not us...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - X-rays
Sclerotherapy is the treatment for telangiectasias on the legs. In this procedure, a saline (salt) solution or other chemical is injected directly into the spider veins on the legs. Laser treatment is typically used to treat telangiectasias of the face.
Sclerotherapy
Varicose veins are swollen, tortuous, and sometimes painful veins that have filled with blood that does not drain out in a normal fashion.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleReferences
Kelly R, Baker C. Other vascular disorders. In: Bolognia JL, Schaffer JV, Cerroni L, eds. Dermatology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 106.
Patterson JW. Vascular tumors. In: Patterson JW, ed. Weedon's Skin Pathology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Limited; 2021:chap 39.
Angioma serpiginosum - illustration
Angioma serpiginosum appears most frequently in adolescent females and consists of small, superficial telangiectasias (vascular lesions) in the skin.
Angioma serpiginosum
illustration
Telangiectasia - legs - illustration
Essential telangiectasia often appears over the lower extremities, beginning in adolescence, and continuing throughout adult life.
Telangiectasia - legs
illustration
Telangiectasias - upper arm - illustration
Telangiectasias of the skin occur in multiple conditions. Thin skin secondary to long-term steroid use or aging, collagen vascular disease, and hormonal variation (particularly estrogen) are all implicated in the formation of telangiectasias.
Telangiectasias - upper arm
illustration
Angioma serpiginosum - illustration
Angioma serpiginosum appears most frequently in adolescent females and consists of small, superficial telangiectasias (vascular lesions) in the skin.
Angioma serpiginosum
illustration
Telangiectasia - legs - illustration
Essential telangiectasia often appears over the lower extremities, beginning in adolescence, and continuing throughout adult life.
Telangiectasia - legs
illustration
Telangiectasias - upper arm - illustration
Telangiectasias of the skin occur in multiple conditions. Thin skin secondary to long-term steroid use or aging, collagen vascular disease, and hormonal variation (particularly estrogen) are all implicated in the formation of telangiectasias.
Telangiectasias - upper arm
illustration
Review Date: 6/7/2023
Reviewed By: Elika Hoss, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.