Broken capillaries are the fine red, pink or purple lines commonly seen around the nose, cheeks and other areas of the face. Despite the name, these vessels are not usually “broken.” They are small superficial blood vessels that have become permanently dilated and visible through the skin, a condition known as telangiectasia.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is widely used in aesthetic dermatology for superficial vascular concerns because certain wavelengths of light can be absorbed by haemoglobin within blood vessels. FAUSTINA® applies the same fundamental light-based principle at controlled home-use energy levels, using repeated treatments to progressively reduce the appearance of suitable superficial vessels.

Why Do Broken Capillaries Become Visible?

The skin contains an extensive vascular network. Larger arteries and veins lie deeper in the dermis, while much smaller capillaries extend closer to the epidermis.

When some of these superficial vessels become enlarged, they can become visible through the skin as:

• fine red thread-like lines;

• branching or spider-like vessels;

• localised redness around the nose or cheeks;

• small areas of persistent vascular redness.

The depth and diameter of a vessel are important. Very superficial red vessels are generally more suitable optical targets than larger, deeper blue or purple veins.

How FAUSTINA IPL Works on Visible Capillaries

1. Filtered IPL light enters the skin

The FAUSTINA® SR Skin Rejuvenation lamp produces filtered pulsed light across approximately 560–1100 nm.

Unlike a laser, which normally uses a narrow wavelength, IPL produces a broader spectrum of light. Filtering allows useful wavelengths to reach structures within the skin while limiting unnecessary wavelengths.

For superficial vascular concerns, the relevant target is primarily the blood within the visible vessel.

2. Haemoglobin absorbs the light

Blood contains haemoglobin, a natural chromophore capable of absorbing light.

When an IPL pulse reaches a suitable superficial vessel, some of this light is absorbed by haemoglobin and converted into thermal energy.

This process is based on the principle of selective photothermolysis:

Filtered IPL light → haemoglobin absorption → controlled heating of the targeted vessel

Because the light is preferentially absorbed by the vascular target, the aim is to heat the small visible vessel while minimising unnecessary heating of the surrounding skin.

3. The vessel begins to coagulate and contract

The absorbed energy raises the temperature of the blood and vessel wall.

With sufficient controlled heating, the tiny vessel can begin to coagulate, contract and close. It does not need to burst or disappear immediately.

Instead, the treated capillary may gradually become narrower and carry less visible blood.

This is the important difference between the diagrams often used to explain pigmentation treatment and vascular treatment: with broken capillaries, IPL is targeting haemoglobin inside the vessel, not breaking pigment into fragments.

4. The body gradually clears the treated vessel

After a superficial vessel has been sufficiently coagulated, the body's normal repair and remodelling processes gradually deal with the treated tissue.

Over time, the vessel may become:

less red → less distinct → thinner → progressively less visible

This process takes time, which is why visible improvement may continue after treatment rather than appearing immediately after each flash.

Why Repeated Low-Fluence Treatments Are Important

Professional vascular lasers and clinical IPL systems can operate at much higher energies than a home-use device.

FAUSTINA is designed around a more gradual approach, with a maximum fluence of approximately:

5.1 J/cm²
3.9 cm² treatment area
19.89 J per flash

Rather than attempting to produce an aggressive vascular response from a single pulse, appropriately spaced treatments provide repeated controlled exposure.

This is particularly important when treating facial skin, where unnecessary thermal stress should be avoided.