As I've aged (45 next week), I've noticed that I've got more veins showing in my cheeks & nose. I hate using lots of makeup, but that seems to be the only way to cover it!

I'm Finnish and very fair.

In the last few years especially, however, I've noticed more and more redness in my face - the skin seems to be transparent.

Can anyone suggest any preparations that might help this?

Hubby (who is also very fair skinned & red), and I have both thought we might have Rosacea...no health insurance at the moment to get a prescription though.

Any suggestions to help alleviate the redness would be appreciated!

I first notices these tiny broken veins when I was ten! I noticed my mother had them, too, but hers were bigger. Years later I asked about them and found the condition is called
telangiectases
and is just a case of tiny capillaries being permanently enlarged by flushing. Flushing can be caused by exertion in hot weather, exertion in cold weather, alcohol (ingested) and sunlight. I'm fair with fine-pored skin.
The safest treatment is laser. I haven't had it yet, but might someday. But it will recur, because your skin has so many tiny veins and the causes of flushing do not stop!
But sun protection and avoiding exertion to the point of 'getting a red face' might slow it down.

I'm a recent member to our Fire Department in the town where I live...I responded to my first real fire on a hot afternoon in June, just after it stopped raining and it was very humid.

Luckily it was just a shed that had caught fire, but it was a total loss. After being out there for an hour in full gear on a hot day, by the time we got back to the fire hall I was absolutely beet red - this has been a problem most of my life; when I get hot or over-exerted, I get very, very red in the face.

The asst. fire chief made mention of this to a friend of mine, saying that we did a fabulous job for our first fire, but that next time I should try not to get so excited! The next time I saw him I mentioned it, and explained that when I get hot, I get red, and it wasn't excitement over what was going on.

One thing that I think will help on future calls is to be sure to take a bottle of water with me...I try to drink alot of water on hot days or in hot situations, and it seems to help.

I admire firefighting volunteers THE MOST!!! We have them here in our local (remote rural) district.
Dark- and thicker-skinned people get the same damage, it just doesn't show as much.

Giz

I agree with the other ladies. The appearance of these tiny capillaries could be genetic (hereditary) or due to some other developing condition. It can also be due to scrubbing the skin.

Fair, delicate skin is more vulnerable to broken capillaries than darker, less delicate skin. So, if you are scrubbing your face, stop, ok? It won't reverse the condition, but it will prevent further damage. And skin gets just as clean without scrubbing.

If you are not scrubbing your face, nevermind. lol

dorie

Yeah, I don't scrub my face...I'll wipe it with just a washcloth, but gently. Even though I have this vein-ey problem now, I'm one of those lucky ones who's never had to use anything & never got pimples.

Giz

Excellent!

And you really have been blessed. I had acne, and now have dry skin. Dry skin is expensive!

I get very red too when I get embarrassed or when I exercise/hot. The redness takes so long to go away, I really hate this. I do know that fatty or sugary foods tend to make it worse. Great goin Giz on being a fire fighter, no job more honorable. God bless ya!

Yes it's very gratifying to give something back to my community...

Awhile back I had bought some cosmetics at a major dept store which is waterproof.

I didn't use it alot at first, since it's a pain to have to use the cleanser every night, but this last week I tried it and found that the waterproof foundation works very well at concealing the redness, especially since I perspire ALOT in my new job.

The only thing I don't like about it, is that I LOOK like I'm wearing makeup...I'm going to shop around for one that's less obvious. I think it'll just take alot of trial & error, you know?