Rosacea
Rosacea is a common chronic skin disease that affects more than 16 million Americans yet the cause is still unknown and no cure is available. Everything from heat, foods, and genetics have been attributed to cause of the red, flushing, pustules, and visible blood vessels that has been categorized further into four main subtypes. Rosacea’s classic symptoms are small, red, sometimes pus-filled bumps on the skin that are present during flare-ups with the most commonly affected areas being the nose, forehead, cheeks, and decollette.
Extensive research has allowed physicians to find ways to treat and mitigate the condition by minimizing its symptoms with Lumenis IPL and Nd:Yag being the leading modalities to do such. There are four subtypes of rosacea with its own set of symptoms and it is possible to have more than one subtype of rosacea at a time.
Rosacea Treatment
Rosacea treatment with Optima IPL works by targeting hemoglobin inside blood vessels. The light pulses penetrate and create heat inside the vessels that essentially closes them off and eventually causes them to shrink and/or completely disappear. Rosacea symptoms are improved by reducing redness and visible small blood vessels, over a series of treatments, typically spaced 4-6 weeks apart.
Immediately following a treatment, you may experience some additional redness that will fade away in a day or two. Typically, a mineral based makeup or tinted sunscreen can be immediately applied along with resuming normal daily activities. However, it is recommended to stay out from the sun for a few days following treatment.