Rosacea affects about 14 million people in the US.
It usually starts in the 30s with bouts of redness and acne like lesions, but without blackheads or whiteheads. These eventually become more persistent and longer lasting. In some patients, the skin may become hyper sensitive, thickened, purplish, itchy or hot.
We distinguish 4 subtypes of rosacea: erythematotelangiectatic (red skin with or without visible vessels), papulopustular (red bumps and pustules), ocular ( itchy, red eyes and/or eyelids) and phymatous (thickened skin, especially the nose)
Topical treatment consists of gentle skin care, antibiotic creams and gels containing metronidazole and sulfacetamide, anti-inflammatory and anti-redness creams. Oral antibiotics are only used in more refractory cases.
Laser treatments have made a huge difference in the life of rosacea sufferers. Photodynamic Therapy, Fraxel, IPL and the Cynergy Multiplex laser treatments represent the cutting edge in the treatment of rosacea.
