Do Chemical Peels Help Treat Rosacea?

Chemical peels are good for causing an exfoliation of the skin. They work best in patients that do not have sensitive skin. Patients with rosacea usually have sensitive skin and the rosacea can be worsened with use of chemical peels. It would be best for you to see a qualified dermatologist. Good luck.

Chemical peels can be a very useful tool to reduce acne and rejuvenate facial skin but cannot treat everything. People with rosacea usually have very sensitive skin, making harsh chemical peels counterintuitive to produce results. Chemicals peels tend to address skin conditions on the uppermost layer of the skin, not reaching the deeper layer of skin where rosacea forms. The exact cause of rosacea is still unknown so treating it can prove difficult. However, laser treatments and various ointments and creams have shown success in treating rosacea.
Some very mild chemical peels may be safe to perform on those with rosacea, but laser treatments tend to be the most recommended treatment for optimal results without damaging sensitive skin. If you have any further questions about chemical peels or treating rosacea, schedule a consultation with a board-certified skin care expert. Hope this helps.

Depending on the type of Rosacea you have, it can help treat it. Without treatment, the condition can get worse. Because the signs and symptoms of rosacea can vary from one patient to another, we customize treatments based on each individual patient. These rosacea treatments can include a mix of topical treatments (including antibiotics and anti-inflammatory gels) and oral medications (including antibiotics), only if absolutely necessary. We try to avoid oral prescriptions and our patients appreciate our approach which is unique to our practice. Oral medications can help to reduce inflammation and clear up breakouts.Our patients have achieved impressive results with our state-of-the-art lasers and/or intense pulsed light therapy; these treatments help to remove the visible blood vessels from the face—clearing up redness and dramatically improving the overall look of skin.

No, chemical peels actually increase inflammation in the skin.  Patients with Rosacea have extremely sensitive skin and cannot tolerate the extra exfoliation caused by a chemical peel.

"Dr.D"

Thank you for your question.

There is no chemical peel that is good for rosacea. Rosacea is primarily due to possible faulty regulation of the blood vessels of the face, leaving them dilated and producing the characteristic redness. There are other hypothesized factors, but none have been proven as a definite cause. Over time, there are telangiectasias (permanent tiny blood vessels), and other signs of rosacea (acne, rhynophyma) that may occur.

Chemical peels work by removing the top layer of the skin (epidermis) and sometimes remove the second layer (dermis). The blood vessels are in the second layer and chemical peels do absolutely nothing to target them or remove them. A chemical peel is the wrong choice for rosacea.

To get the best treatment for your rosacea, you can do antibiotics, topical creams/gel, and laser. Currently, laser seems to the best solution for most rosacea, especially the Vbeam laser or the IPL.

Good luck!

People with Rosacea tend to have sensitive skin. Chemical peels can help with Rosacea, but I would only recommend very light peels. Anything deeper than a light chemical peel can cause increased and prolonged redness and greater skin sensitivity.

My preference for treating Rosacea is a combination of prescription medications and the IPL/fotofacial to reduce redness, inflammation and the small blood vessels frequently associated with Rosacea.

I would consult with your dermatologist to discuss which treatments might be appropriate for you.

Good luck.

Definitely not. Rosacea skin is very sensitive. Acids, be it Salicylic Acid, Glycolic acid, trichloracetic acid (TCA), would all tend to flare up rosacea, as would the acetone or alcohol that is used in the prep.
Anything which causes the blood vessels to react, i.e. quickly dilate, will make it worse. I personally have seen Rosacea flares after patients went to "medical" spas for chemical peels.
Intense Pulse Light (IPL) would be a far more prudent choice.