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Battling Rosacea? Discover the Magic of Light Therapy

April 3, 2019

Rosy cheeks may be a nice beauty bonus for some, but for many people, the natural rouge is a full-time skin problem that can come and go with little warning. It’s called rosacea, and it’s a condition that causes flushing and blushing of the skin and can be easily triggered from cold, wind, sun, spicy food, wine, stress, and more. It is estimated that 45 million people worldwide – or 5.46% of the global population – suffer from the disorder.

So prevalent is rosacea that the National Rosacea Society has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to educate the public on the current understanding of this often life-disruptive condition that is estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans.

While rosacea usually occurs on the mid-face, nose, and cheeks, it can also occur on the forehead and chin. It can even show up on the chest and upper back. And it can strike quickly.

Still Searching for a Cure

Although there currently is no cure for rosacea, advances in medical therapy have made it increasingly possible for those who suffer from this chronic disorder to achieve clear skin. But more on that in a moment. First, some background about this condition.

What causes rosacea is still a mystery, although researchers believe that it is likely a mix of genetic and environmental factors. In fact, a 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that rosacea may be connected to other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as food allergies, metabolic disease, and hormonal imbalances.

These aren’t the only factors associated with rosacea, however. For women, obesity, a history of smoking, and increased alcohol consumption may be risk factors. So, if you are female, you can reduce your chances of rosacea by maintaining a healthy weight, limiting your alcohol intake, and not smoking.

Turn to the Light

Advances in light and laser treatments have shown to be highly effective in treating rosacea. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most patients see a 50% to 75% reduction in visible blood vessels after one to three light or laser treatments, with treatments spaced three to four weeks apart. Some people even see a 100% reduction.

So, just what are light and laser treatments? Two of the most-heralded technologies are known as IPL and BBL.

IPL is also called Intense Pulsed Light – or “photo facial” – and is the ideal treatment not only for rosacea, but also for photo-rejuvenation, hyperpigmentation, large pores, and sun-damaged skin. The process is simple, comfortable, and leaves you with minimal to no downtime. It’s perfect for the face, chest, arms, hands, and other areas of the body, with visible results after just one treatment.

How the IPL procedure works is by removing facial superficial vessels caused by rosacea, which dramatically decreases or completely eliminates facial redness.

The other therapy is BBL, which stands for Broad Band Light. BBL is a next-generation Intense Pulsed Light device for treating rosacea, as well as acne, acne scarring, pigmentation, broken capillaries, and sun damage. Once the pigment cells absorb the BBL energy, these cells are destroyed, which causes healing to occur and new skin cells to form.

BBL energy allows your board-certified dermatologist to precisely treat fine rosacea – as well as wrinkles, age and sun spots, small facial veins, and several other skin blemishes. Similar to IPL, this photo-rejuvenation therapy leaves your skin smoother and more vibrant for a more youthful appearance.

Fortunately, Dermatology Consultants offers both IPL and BBL therapies for the treatment of rosacea, so we can tailor the best treatment plan based on your type of rosacea and other health and environmental factors. To get started, just give us a call.

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