Rosacea

Rosacea is a common disorder affecting 20% of people of Northern European Heritage but seen across all skin types and races.

Common features include flushing, persistent redness , broken capillaries, inflammatory bump, dryness and skin coarsening. It can be very distressing not only aesthetically but also symptomatically with persistent sensations of burning, stinging, dryness and irritability to many applied emollients, cosmetics and sunscreens.

To this day, rosacea patients (particularly men) carry the stigma of being labelled excessive drinkers. The psychosocial impact of rosacea can affect confidence in the workplace and within relationships. Ocular rosacea symptoms can be particularly distressing.

Diagnosis can be difficult, as the condition has varied clinical presentations. One person’s rosacea and response to treatment is different from another’s.

Rosacea is a genetic disorder. We believe that facial blood vessels are hyperreactive to normal environmental insults such as heat (saunas/spas/sun exposure), sudden temperature changes, skin friction, application of certain cosmetic agents and alcohol will trigger or worsen the condition.

There may be other factors such as a loss of an anti-inflammatory and barrier protein (Cathepsin) in rosacea patients which allows normal bacteria of the skin microbiome can set off an inflammatory response in the skin. This creates more heat and more vascular hyperreactivity. Similarly, increased numbers of hair follicle mites which are part of the normal skin microbiome may create more inflammation in rosacea prone skin.

Treatment for rosacea is usually multipronged targeting both the blood vessel hyperreactivity (usually vascular laser, sometimes creams and tablets) and the inflammatory component (anti -inflammatory tablets and / or creams). Avoidance or reduction of triggers is an important factor in controlling this condition.

A two step approach for Laser treatment of rosacea