Rosacea Laser Treatment- Stop the Redness, Bumps and Irritation

Do you suffer from red blotchy skin on your face?

If you do, chances are it is a skin condition known as Rosacea. Over 14 million Americans develop this skin condition between the ages of 30-60 years old. This common adult face rash has very little to do with your general health, even the healthiest of people may develop it. There is a higher incidence of Rosacea in women than men but both can develop this skin condition.

What does Rosacea look like?

Rosacea has three stages.

• Stage one: The face gets flushed or has blotches of reddened areas. Generally this is limited to the central parts of the face on the forehead, nose, chin and apples of the cheeks. With time, small cobweb-like blood vessels will appear as superficial veins become dilated making the redness more noticeable.
• Stage two: In this phase the redness begins to spread over a larger portion of the face. You may notice slight swelling and pimples or pustules develop that are also located in the mid facial areas.
• Stage three: The third stage is characterized by the development of a bulbous nose known as rhinophyma. On average, most people do not progress to stage three. W. C. Fields, the famous comedian, had stage three rosacea.

How to stop the redness, bumps and irritation of Rosacea?

Rosacea is most often treated with topical and oral medications which can stop the pimples and breakouts, but the redness and flushing of the face that is the most common symptom is best treated with lasers. Laser treatments will reduce the redness and diminish the visibility of veins. This treatment has also been found very helpful in reducing the acne-like pimples associated with this skin condition.

Most patients will see a significant improvement in their skin after just one laser treatment however it is necessary to have several sessions for full treatment and maximum clearing. Rosacea is not 100% curable, but you can slow the progression and eliminate the symptoms. If you take precautions to avoid over-exposure to the sun after your treatment many people will go years before the symptoms of flushed face and visible veins reappear.

Does laser therapy for Rosacea hurt?

You might find that you feel a bit of discomfort during the treatment but it is not really painful. It is comparable to the quick snap of an elastic band on the skin. Most women are not overly uncomfortable with this procedure. Men tend to have a lower pain threshold and may find it a bit more painful. It is rare to have a patient complain of unbearable pain or ask for the skin to be numbed with a topical cream during the laser treatment for the facial veins and redness associated with rosacea.

Will you need to take time off work for recovery from laser treatment?

There is no real downtime following a laser treatment. The skin may be a bit red or swollen but this generally disappears within a few hours. A few patients experience purpura or purple bruising that will go away within a few days. You can return to work as soon as you feel comfortable. Most patients leave the office after their session and go on with their daily routines.

If you are one of the 14 million Americans suffering from Rosacea you now know there is help available to you.  To get help with stopping this problem so you can live without a red bumpy face, schedule a dermatology consultation to have your skin evaluated and set up a laser treatment schedule to give you a clear complexion again.  You will be glad that you did.