Rosacea

What is rosacea?

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that causes facial redness, blemishes, and bumps that resemble acne. Since it usually occurs after the age of 30, it’s often called adult acne, but the 2 conditions aren’t the same. While rosacea has pimples or bumps around the cheeks, nose, mouth and forehead, it has symptoms that aren’t typical of acne such as:

• Flushed face – often begins as a tendency to blush or flush easily but redness may last for days
• Tiny red veins – look like little spider webs on the face
• Burning or stinging – face burns or stings when applying lotions
• Dry and sensitive skin
• Eye problems – dry, red, irritated eyes, eyelids that may be red and swollen, and blurry vision

Rosacea may come and go, with flare-ups that are triggered by exercise, sun, wind, hot and cold temperature extremes, stress, spicy foods, cosmetics, and alcohol.

What medical treatments are available for rosacea?

There aren’t any over-the-counter products that work for rosacea, so if you have any symptoms, it’s important to schedule an appointment with Alpine Dermatology Clinic. Early treatment is important because rosacea gets worse over time if it’s not properly controlled. In some cases it may cause bumps on the nose, giving it a swollen appearance.

Several medications can reduce the symptoms, including topical cosmetics and antibiotic creams to treat pimples and redness. Oral antibiotics are often needed if you have eye symptoms and stronger medications are available if your rosacea doesn’t respond to the first-line choices. For example, Dr. Marshall may consider isotretinoin (Accutane) or other retinoids.

How can aesthetic procedures improve rosacea?

Thanks to today’s advanced technology, relief from rosacea may be achieved using medical devices and chemical peels. Photofacials use light to eliminate tiny veins and stimulate the skin’s natural healing process, which reduces redness and diminishes the appearance of rosacea.

Chemical peels successfully treat hyperpigmentation without irritating skin, but only when the peel is carefully applied by an experienced dermatologist like Dr. Marshall. Microdermabrasion isn’t a good choice for all patients, but if you have rosacea plus acne or sun-damaged skin, you may be a candidate for microdermabrasion.