Award winning dermatology service, with over 20 years on experience
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Rosacea is a common chronic condition that usually affects the face and worsens if left untreated. One in ten of us suffer from the symptoms of rosacea, particularly in women between 30 and 60 years of age. The first signs of rosacea are redness coming and going across the face, particularly in the nose, forehead, chin and cheeks. You may also notice stinging when using water or skincare products. As the condition develops, rosacea symptoms can be variable, including redness, swelling of the skin, flushing, skin sensitivity, dry itchy skin and spots.
There are many triggers which have been identified as making rosacea symptoms worse. These include alcohol, spicy food, caffeine, hot drinks and certain aerobic exercise such as running. These triggers can be identified and avoided where possible. Using gentle skin care products, avoiding direct sunlight, wearing high SPF sunscreen and avoiding humid conditions can also help ease rosacea symptoms.
This is not fully understood, but environmental factors, genetics and immune system factors may all be involved. Stress, weather, certain foods and alcohol can aggravate rosacea. For reasons unknown, certain foods including chocolates, bananas, avocado, spinach and pork can be pro-inflammatory. Rosacea can be sun sensitive, but it is not contagious and is not caused by poor hygine.
Rosacea can look like a number of other skin conditions including acne, dermatitis (eczema), lupus and keratosis pilaris.
Common associated symptoms include:
Rosacea is often triggered, so identifying the cause can help you to manage your symptoms. It is also advised to wear a high SPF sunscreen, avoid the heat and sunlight where possible, cover your face during cold weather, use gentle skin care products and try to manage your stress levels.
Rosacea cannot be cured but treatments can be used to control the symptoms. These can include:
Laser treatment for rosacea. Visible blood vessels can be treated by lasers for an effective long-term solution for redness. About 85% of patients who have laser treatments for rosacea are very happy with the results achieved. If having any type of laser treatment, it is important you go to a medically trained laser specialist. These treatments target the broken veins, redness and flushing.
Oral medication – Antibiotics and oral medication can be prescribed to treat rosacea, particularly acne rosacea. It is very effective in controlling red spots, papules and pustules which are common rosacea symptoms.
Chemical Peels – Skin peels can treat rosacea by exfoliating the top layers of skin, speeding up skin turnover and preventing pores from becoming clogged with dead skin cells, which can aggravate rosacea. They can also help to reduce inflammation and promote skin healing.
If you have any concerns about the diagnosis or management of your skin condition, a dermatologist will offer you an expert opinion and guide you on the right treatment path.
Management includes using products for sensitive skin; topical and / or oral products on prescription; and medical grade laser treatments to target the broken veins, redness and flushing.
You should also:
Anyone can develop rosacea, but you are more likely to suffer if:
The number of treatments needed, will depend on the site and the extent of the affected area. Small veins on the face normally disperse just after 1-2 laser treatments at 6-week intervals. IPL may take 4 sessions at 2-week intervals.
Depending on the type of light treatment used, some mild stinging or burning may be noticed during the procedure, and the area treated may feel hot for roughly 15 minutes after treatment. However, during treatment the skin is cooled, which reduces this stinging sensation and a cooling gel is applied afterwards.
Please fill in this form and one of our team will give you a call back to arrange a consultation with one of our expert dermatologists.
Here at Kent’s leading private skin and laser clinic, our experts are specialists in all aspects of dermatology, skin cancer, anti-ageing and beauty treatments. We are one of the few skin clinics in the UK where all medical consultations and treatments are provided by specialist doctors with Dermatology experience and laser training.
Canterbury Skin and Laser Clinic is regulated by the Care Quality Commission, ensuring the best level of treatment is provided to you in a safe environment. Our Clinical Lead Dr Mark Hudson-Peacock is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists, the British Laser Medical Association, the British Hair and Nail Society, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and is certified by the Consulting Room. We have won many awards including the WhatClinic Patient Service Award in 2019 and the ghp Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Awards 2019.
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