ShareRosacea is a common, chronic skin disorder affecting the face. At Geelong Veins, Skin and Laser we are regularly fronted with this issue. Our patients often ask us; What is happening to my skin? What exactly is Rosacea? And what Rosacea treatments are available? Our Dermal Therapist, Jodie Linsell, has answered all these questions and more.
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a non-contagious, chronic skin inflammatory condition that affects the face. The condition most commonly begins after the age of 30 with the frequent onset of flushing/blushing. Over time the redness can become more persistent as facial capillaries enlarge and are visible on the skin Inflammatory bumps and pimples form and in severe cases (especially in men), the nose can become swollen, red and bumpy which is called rhinophyma.
What causes Rosacea?
Currently, the cause of Rosacea is not fully understood, although it is likely to be multifactorial and new research shows in some patients it could be due to a sensitivity to Demodex Folliculorum Mites. Demodex are microscopic mites that live on the skin’s surface as part of the normal flora of microbes.
Rosacea sufferers have been shown to have higher numbers of these mites than those without Rosacea.
Environmental triggers that are shown to worsen symptoms of Rosacea include; alcohol, coffee, tea, hot drinks, spicy foods, extreme weather conditions, overexposure to UV rays, anxiety and overheating (especially at night in bed).
What Rosacea Treatments are Available?
There is no permanent cure for Rosacea, rather we aim to improve the skin appearance through reducing and controlling redness and flare-up episodes with various Rosacea treatments.
Here at Geelong Veins Skin and Laser, we are able to help you with a range of treatment options offered by our dermal therapists and doctors depending on the severity of your Rosacea.
Avoid Environmental Triggers
Firstly, it’s important to avoid any environmental triggers that we’ve listed above that may flare up your Rosacea.
Incorporating an appropriate skin care regime at home that is designed to reduce the symptoms of Rosacea is essential. Skincare filled with large amounts of alcohol e.g. toners and long-term use of topical steroids will cause skin irritation and inflammation.
A great place to start is with the Synergie Anti-Redness Kit (our cosmeceutical strength skincare brand). This introduction kit contains a full skincare regime for you to use at home, and all these products work well for anyone suffering from Rosacea or generalised skin redness by focusing on harnessing the power of anti-inflammatory ingredients.
As mentioned, UV rays can exacerbate Rosacea, so using a physical block SPF, meaning it contains the ingredients Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, is essential for daily use. These ingredients are not absorbed into your skin rather they sit on top and reflect the UV rays, meaning less chance of a skin irritation occurring. As an added bonus, Zinc Oxide also reduces skin inflammation. Synergie’s Uberzinc is the perfect physical block SPF and is included in the Anti-redness kit.
Laser Treatment
Laser is a popular Rosacea treatment choice and provides excellent results. Here at Geelong Veins Skin and Laser, we use the Sciton BBL with a 560nm wavelength, which is attracted to oxyhaemoglobin, making it very effective in shutting down broken facial capillaries and reducing facial redness.
Salicylic Peels
Gentle Salicylic peels may also be recommended to help exfoliate and break down the excess build up of skin whilst also providing a powerful anti-inflammatory effect to calm sore, red skin and manage Rosacea flare-ups.
LED Red Light Therapy
LED Red light therapy is a non-invasive, in-clinic Rosacea treatment which stimulates your natural skin healing ability, reduces inflammation and redness, stimulates the production of healthy blood cells and decreases visible capillaries. It does require multiple, frequent treatments to be an effective stand-alone treatment, but it can be added onto other treatments for a combined modality approach and it is also a great option for a maintenance treatment that requires no downtime.
Doctor Consultation
For more severe cases of Rosacea, we have our Doctors available at Geelong Veins Skin and Laser who can consult with you about your Rosacea. Prescribed treatments including oral and topical antibiotics, acne medications and creams to eradicate the Demodex mite are available by script.
Our doctors may also recommend PDT (photodynamic therapy) if you have a severe acne component to your Rosacea.
Our Dermal Therapists Jodie and Charlotte are available for a complimentary consultation, Monday to Saturday.
If you would like to discuss Rosacea treatments and how we can help improve facial redness and broken capillaries, please book in for an appointment/complimentary consultation or call us on 5229 6866.
Images courtesy of www.dermnetnz.org
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