Have you noticed a small, soft, blue or purple bump on your lower lip, ear, or face? You might be looking at a venous lake — a benign vascular lesion that's more common than most people realize, and very treatable with the right laser.
At R Med+Spa in Durango, Dr. Brian Rike, DO treats venous lakes with Sciton's Clear V 1064nm vascular laser. Most cases resolve in just 1–2 sessions.
What Is a Venous Lake?
A venous lake is a small, dark blue to purple, benign (non-cancerous) vascular lesion caused by the dilation of venules — tiny veins just beneath the surface of the skin. They're soft and compressible to the touch, which helps distinguish them from other lesions.
Key characteristics:
- Appearance: Soft, compressible, blue or purple in color — often looks like a small raised bump
- Size: Typically a few millimeters to about 1 centimeter in diameter
- Location: Most commonly found on the lower lip, ears, face, and neck — all sun-exposed areas
What Causes Venous Lakes?
The exact cause isn't fully understood, but venous lakes are strongly associated with:
- Chronic sun exposure — UV radiation weakens and dilates superficial vessels over time. This is why wearing lip balm with SPF matters.
- Aging — As skin and vascular structures age, vessels become more susceptible to dilation
- Trauma — Minor repeated injury to the skin
- Lip biting — Mechanical stress on the lip tissue
- Cigarette smoking — Associated with vascular changes in lip tissue
Venous lakes are more common in older adults and in people with significant lifetime sun exposure, but they can appear at any age.
Are Venous Lakes Dangerous?
No. Venous lakes are benign and do not carry cancer risk. They typically cause no pain or physical symptoms. The primary concern is cosmetic — they're visible, can be mistaken for bruising or other lesions, and many patients find them bothersome, especially on the lip.
If a lesion changes in size, color, or texture, it's always worth having it evaluated by a physician to rule out other conditions.
How Is a Venous Lake Diagnosed?
Venous lakes are usually diagnosed by visual examination. Their characteristic soft, compressible feel and dark blue-purple color are distinctive. Dr. Rike will examine the lesion during your consultation and confirm the diagnosis before recommending treatment.
Treatment Options
Clear V Laser (Our Preferred Treatment at R Med+Spa)
The [Clear V 1064nm vascular laser](/post/clear-v-laser) is our preferred treatment for venous lakes. The laser energy targets the hemoglobin inside the dilated vessel, causing it to coagulate and collapse. The body then gradually absorbs the treated tissue.
Why it works well for venous lakes:
- Highly targeted — minimal impact on surrounding skin
- Venous lakes typically resolve in 1–2 treatment sessions
- Quick procedure — often just a few minutes per lesion
- Minimal downtime
- Physician-performed at R Med+Spa by Dr. Brian Rike, DO
Other Treatment Options
While we use Clear V at R Med+Spa, other providers may use:
- Cryotherapy — freezing the lesion with liquid nitrogen
- Electrosurgery — using electrical current to remove the lesion
- Sclerotherapy — injection of a sclerosing agent to close the vessel
Laser treatment is generally preferred for lip and facial lesions because it offers precision with minimal scarring risk.
Prevention
While you can't always prevent venous lakes from forming, you can reduce your risk:
- Wear SPF lip balm daily — chronic sun exposure is the primary contributing factor
- Use broad-spectrum sunscreen on face, ears, and neck
- Avoid prolonged sun exposure without protection
- Minimize lip trauma — repetitive lip biting can contribute over time
Book a Free Consultation in Durango
If you have a venous lake or a vascular lesion you're unsure about, we're happy to take a look. We offer free consultations for vein and vessel treatments at R Med+Spa in Durango.
Call [(970) 501-0610](tel:+19705010610) or [book online](/book).
For a complete overview of Clear V laser treatments — including all the conditions it treats, what to expect, and aftercare — see our full [Clear V Laser treatment guide](/post/clear-v-laser).
Sources:
- [Cleveland Clinic — Venous Lake](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/venous-lake)
- [DermNet NZ — Venous Lake](https://dermnetnz.org/topics/venous-lake)
- [Mayo Clinic — Skin Lesions](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-lesions/symptoms-causes/syc-20353952)
*Venous lakes are benign. However, any lesion that changes in appearance should be evaluated by a physician. Individual treatment results vary.*
