WHAT IS ROSACEA?
Rosacea causes redness, visible blood vessels, and pus-filled red bumps on the face. It can also cause oily and thickened skin. It is often mistaken for acne. Rosacea most commonly affects middle-aged women with fair skin, but anyone can have rosacea. In darker skin, you may have to use other indicators outside of visible redness such as persistent acne-like breakouts or having warm skin most of the time. The cause of rosacea is unknown, but we know many triggers that can cause flare-ups. Triggers include certain skincare ingredients, diet, stress, and environment. Flare-ups often come in cycles that can last weeks or even months at a time. There is no cure for rosacea, but it can be managed. It can get progressively worse over time if it goes untreated.
LASER FOR ROSACEA
Most people know you can use topical creams that help reduce inflammation, oil production, and skin discoloration. Rosacea management can often have a similar approach to acne utilizing benzoyl peroxide, chemical peels with azelaic acid, and LED lights. Also like acne, rosacea can also be treated with laser therapy. Lasers help reduce visible blood vessels, redness, and oil production.
LASER ROSACEA TREATMENT AT CATARA
At CaTara, we treat both the visible blood vessels and background redness. The visible blood vessels are often dilated or broken capillaries that can leak and add to the redness. We can target these vessels directly causing them to contract and breakdown. For background redness, the laser targets and heats the red hemoglobin coagulating the blood making it possible for the body’s circulatory system to clear the treated area.
The laser treatment for rosacea is not painful. There is no real down time, but there can be bruising and redness that lasts anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks. The number of treatments needed varies and depends on severity. Your progress is assessed, and you’re treated accordingly. As with other skin conditions, multiple treatment modalities are incorporated to treat rosacea along with a home skincare routine and changes to lifestyle and diet to get the best outcome.