There are 4 main subtypes of rosacea: 1. Persistent central facial redness (erythema) and broken blood vessels (telangiectasia) 2. Red bumps that look like "pimples" 3. Ocular rosacea where the lower eyelid margin is inflamed, red, itchy. 4. Skin thickening of the nose... more
Is there a laser for rosacea?
If a doctor could pls explain, what laser(s) work for treating rosacea on cheeks and nose
2 answers to “Is there a laser for rosacea?”
A: Rosacea and Spider veins Can be Treated with Lasers
Many people, especially fair-skinned people in sunny climates (like North Carolina), will develop areas of the face as they age where superficial veins and capillaries in the skin become enlarged and highly visible. Because of their typically irregular and spidery appearance, these superficial cutaneous... more
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156 posts
2 Mar 2008
Although there is no cure for rosacea, it may be well-controlled with the use of pulsed dye lasers. Oftentimes, traditional treatments consist of prolonged use of oral or topical medications. In our practice, patients are looking for another option in controlling this skin condition. With lasers, the concept is to harness thermal (heat) energy to heat the superficial blood vessels that are causing the redness to the skin. By heating the vessels, we are coagulating the blood and causing the vessel walls to seal together. The body's lymphatic system then plays an active role by slowly and progressively removing the destroyed vessels away from the area treated. It usually takes several treatments spaced 4 weeks apart to accomplish this. There are two options when choosing laser treatments for rosacea: bruising doses or non-bruising doses. Bruising doses refers to delivering an aggressive treatment that results in very noticeable purple/blue bruising (purpura) to the skin and tissue. When the vessels are destroyed with this type of treatment, the result is a bruise(s). Research supports that these type of aggressive treatments render quicker more effective results. However, not everyone is agreeable to this due to their work and social schedules. Also, skin type may preclude someone from receiving this type of treatment. Most patients prefer a non-bruising dose which allows for a more gentler heating of the vessels that does not result in a bruise but will require more treatments. Either technique is quite effective. Besides effectively resolving redness, the other benefit of laser treatments is an improvement in the texture of the skin. Superficial, prolonged vascularity may lead to textural changes to the skin such as thickening. Pulsed dye lasers stimulate the body to make new collagen and remodel existing collagen. This, in turn, will promote a more appealing appearance and feel to the skin. We believe in setting realistic expectations for our patients - the aim is to control the condition and educate on how to avoid exacerbations and flares. Education and good sun protection go hand in hand.