Dr. Belkin explains that it’s possible to have visible periorbital veins on your upper eye area, as I do, but “most people have them on the lower lateral orbit, more on the under eye area, which is why a lot of people will find that they enhance the appearance of their dark circles.”
Whether or not yours appear—and where—can also depend on your skin tone (those with darker skin may not notice their periorbital veins becoming more prominent until much later in life, if at all) and unique underlying vascular anatomy. “In some cases, periorbital reticular veins may appear as subtle shadowing, while in others they present as distinct linear markings,” says Dr. Rambhia.
Another factor: chronic sun exposure, “which contributes by accelerating collagen breakdown and skin thinning, making periorbital veins appear more prominent,” says Dr. Rambhia. Hormones, untreated allergies (and in turn, frequent eye rubbing), smoking, drinking, and poor sleep can all play a role as well, she adds.
Though there are also certain medical conditions that can contribute to the visibility of periorbital veins—including thyroid disorders that impact circulation, and sleep disorders leading to fluid retention—it’s very rare that they indicate an underlying health concern, says Dr. Rambhia. But if prominent periorbital veins seem to appear overnight “accompanied by swelling, pain, or vision changes” you should seek medical attention immediately, she says.
Periorbital veins aren’t the only aesthetically pesky vessels on the face. “You can have what we call telangiectasias, which are little, tiny, visible red veins often around the nose or cheek,” says Dr. Belkin. “We also see what we call diffuse erythema, which is kind of like flushing that often happens in areas where people get rosacea, such as the middle cheek, nose, and sometimes between the brows and chin.”
You can also have reticular veins on the forehead. “That’s the one that people hate, the central vein on their forehead,” says Dr. Belkin. But unlike the aforementioned others, “that’s a functional vein that you need” and therefore it cannot be removed, he says. (Though strategic placement of neurotoxin can soften the muscle on the forehead and make the vein less visible.)
Can you make periorbital veins look less prominent?
As we’ve established, veins are vitally important to the health and function of our bodies. But we don’t need all of them to keep our blood flowing: When one vein closes, the blood reroutes to another one nearby, says Dr. Belkin.
