Red lines or blotches on the skin are a result of dilated (or enlarged) superficial blood vessels. The medical term for them is telangiectasias, although patients usually refer to them as “spider veins” or “broken capillaries.” Telangiectasias are small visible vessels, ranging in diameter from 0.1mm to 1mm, or even larger. Much smaller vessels, too tiny to be seen with the naked eye, may also become permanently dilated, producing a diffuse background blush in which there are no visible lines. As a result, people who acquire telangiectasias very often also have erythema (or redness) in the same area.