Redness / Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that causes redness and swelling on the face. Rosacea begins with a tendency to blush or flush easily and can progress to more persistent redness in the centre of the face, gradually involving the cheeks, forehead and chin.

As the disease progresses further, small capillaries and tiny pimples begin to appear on and around the reddened area. Skin often becomes more sensitive, reacting to both internal and external stimuli. For example, a change in temperature, stress or certain dietary choices, like red wine or spicy foods, can cause increased redness and sensitivity.

Left untreated, rosacea can worsen, leaving some patients with constant inflammation, sensitivity and often watery, red pustules, similar to acne pustules, resulting in it often being referred to as Acne Rosacea. Rosacea skin can be either oily or dry, with areas of flakiness. It is also common for patients to get irritation around the eye area causing inflammation, grittiness and discomfort.

Although there is currently no cure for rosacea, correct treatment and maintenance can relieve symptoms.

Types of Rosacea

Rosacea is tricky to treat, mainly because there is still no confirmed definitive cause. What makes it trickier still is the fact there is more than one type of rosacea and it presents in many different ways. In its earliest stages, rosacea can be so subtle that many people don't even know they have it. They tend to think they have an uneven skin tone or a blotchy skin and not an actual skin disorder. However, the sooner rosacea is identified, the easier it will be to get it under control and stop its progression! From subtle beginnings to more advanced cases, here are the four different types of rosacea:

Erythematotelangiectatic: This is the most basic type of rosacea and usually where symptoms are first noticed. It is characterised by flushing and persistent redness, often in a butterfly pattern on a person's nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin. Blood vessels under the skin may also be visible, and often are referred to as broken capillaries or spider veins. The affected skin may feel warmer than the surrounding skin, and often reacts strongly to both internal and external stimuli.
Papulopustular: This form includes both redness and the watery lumps and bumps and pimple-like eruptions associated with Rosacea.
Phymatous: Most common in men, this type of rosacea involves a thickening of the skin and hyper-growth of facial blood vessels, which can result in a bulbous nose, called Rhinophyma from the excess growth of tissue in this area.
Ocular: This type of rosacea affects the eyes. Symptoms include dry eyes, with burning and irritation.tearing. Ocular rosacea often exists with another type of rosacea, so you're battling skin symptoms plus itchy, irritated eyes.

Our Rosacea program is extremely successful, with the majority of patients gaining control of this frustrating skin disease within a relatively short period of time. Light therapies alongside active topical creams help reduce symptoms quickly and with continued usage of the correct topical creams, symptoms can be controlled and discomfort alleviated.