Rosacea - Reduce Your Redness

Rosacea begins as flushing & redness on the central face, across the cheeks, nose and forehead, but can also, less commonly, affect the neck and chest. As it progresses, other symptoms can develop such as semi-permanent flushing and redness, dilation of superficial blood vessels on the face, red domed papules and pustules, burning and stinging sensations, and in some advanced cases, a red bulbous nose. Traditional medical therapies typically consist of topical steroid gels which may initially temporarily decrease some of the redness, but unfortunately weakens vessels and surrounding tissues in the long term.

Causes

The first signs of rosacea are persisting redness due to strenuous exercise, changes in temperature, and cleansing. Triggers that cause flushing and redness play a part in the development of rosacea.

The following factors may all contribute to persistent rosacea:

• Exposure to extreme temperatures
• Strenuous exercise
• Heat from sunlight & severe sunburns
• Stress & anxiety
• Cold wind

• Moving to a warm or hot environment from a cold one such as heated shops & offices during the winter

There are also some foods & drinks that can trigger flushing, these include:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine (especially hot tea & coffee)
• Foods high in histamines & spicy food
• Certain medications & topical irritants (if redness persists after using a specific treatment or product, consult your doctor)

• Steroid induced rosacea is the term given to rosacea caused by the use of topical or nasal steroids. Dosage should be slowly decreased to avoid a flare up.

Treatment Options

Avoiding substances that can trigger rosacea will assist to reduce redness, however; specialized skin treatments, good nutrition and some lifestyle adjustments are often necessary to get this frustrating skin condition under control.

It is important to have a gentle, customized skin care regimen which uses non-irritating cleansers, which we carry at Satin Laser Spa.

Protection from the sun is important and daily use of a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 is advised. We have medical grade sunscreens that protect your skin without clogging your pores. One application lasts 8 hours and is waterproof. 

IPL is successfully used to treat rosacea, in particular, diffuse redness of the skin. This broad-spectrum light is able to penetrate the epidermis to target your capillaries at the dermis layer of your skin. The light is absorbed by your oxy-haemoglobin, which causes your capillary walls to damage, so your body absorbs them through its natural defence mechanisms. The heat helps soothe and heal the area. A full treatment course generally consists of 6 treatments.

For lasting results, the treatment of rosacea will require some long-term dedication & follow-up. Those who are predisposed will benefit from a touch up treatment 2 to 4 times per year to ensure that it stays under control.

Rosacea is a common, but widely misunderstood, skin condition, which affects mostly light-skinned people. Rosacea is often a genetic issue & those that are fair-skinned usually of Celtic background seem to have a higher predisposition to developing it. Women are more commonly affected but when men develop rosacea it tends to be more severe. You can get rosacea at any age; however there seems to be a higher occurrence in those between the ages of 30-60.

With advanced IPL technologies, as well as proper customized skin care and nutrition your rosacea can be beautifully managed.

Treatment cost:    Full Face $150     Partial Face $130

Call Satin Laser Spa today at 709-800-7688 for your personal consultation.