Experts named the reasons for the appearance of vascular asterisks

"Vascular asterisks" are not an independent disease and in most cases are just cosmetic discomfort. However, sometimes they can appear with hormonal changes, metabolic disorders, and also be one of the manifestations of certain diseases. On April 11, Dmitry Stavtsev, a surgeon and phlebologist at SM Clinic, PhD, told Izvestia about this.

He explained that "vascular asterisks," or telangiectasias, are dilated, minute vessels—capillaries, arterioles, or venules. They can be located on the face, chest wall, and quite often on the lower extremities. In addition, if there are no other symptoms, the very fact of the presence of "vascular asterisks" does not pose a danger to life and health, they are not felt in any way, do not hurt and cannot cause the development of any diseases.

"However, if, along with the appearance of telangiectasia, there are any other signs other than the state of health — for example, increased bleeding, changes in blood tests or symptoms of any disease - you should immediately consult a doctor," the phlebologist warned.

He added that the appearance or increase of "vascular asterisks" on the legs may indicate symptoms of varicose veins. However, only a phlebologist can tell for sure if there is a disease after an examination.

At the same time, Ivan Mayatsky, a dermatologist and mycologist at SM-Cosmetology, noted that the disease is associated with a loss of normal tone and elasticity of the vascular walls due to a deficiency of elastin and collagen - it does not correlate with age in any way. "Asterisks" can appear due to malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, increased physical activity, genetic predisposition, chronic stress and other factors.

"Also, some patients complain of itching, discomfort, and local swelling in the area of the "vascular asterisk." Telangiectasia is rarely accompanied by complications, which in the vast majority of cases are associated with incorrectly selected treatment methods and the use of traditional or alternative medicine methods," Mayatsky said.

He also explained that the main methods of treating telangiectasia are sclerotherapy and laser therapy.

The dermatologist explained: after sclerotherapy, the wall becomes inflamed, as a result, the blood flow in such a vessel stops. According to him, this method has many contraindications: pregnancy, breastfeeding, infectious skin diseases, hypersensitivity and allergy to the injected drug. The effect of such a procedure is fully manifested after a few months.

Laser therapy is a more modern and safer method of treatment. According to the specialist, the laser acts narrowly only on the affected vessels, without affecting neighboring tissues and without causing thermal damage. During the procedure, the hemoglobin in the vessels absorbs laser light and converts light energy into heat. The effect is pronounced after the first procedure, but sometimes two or three sessions are necessary for the complete disappearance of pathological vessels.

"Prevention of telangiectasia will be, no matter how banal, a healthy and active lifestyle, good nutrition. If any skin changes appear, even minor ones, you should consult a doctor," added phlebologist Stavtsev.

Earlier, on April 4, Naira Kurbanova, a neurologist at the SM Clinic, told Izvestia about the dangers of nocturnal seizures. She explained that cramps are unpleasant, often painful muscle contractions that most often occur in the calf muscles, less often in the thigh and foot areas. Their appearance can be caused by various factors: dehydration, intense physical exertion, hypothermia, overheating, excessive salt intake and electrolyte imbalance in the body.