Guide To Rosacea: Understanding & Clearing Them Up | Shens Therapeutics

photo of Rosacea condition on cheek

Despite the lovely name, rosacea (pronounced as “rose-say-sha”), individuals who have them aren’t blushing because of shyness or having a drinking problem, or constantly sunburned. In short, rosacea is a common skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels in the face. The skin condition may also produce small, red, pus-filled bumps. Thus, this particular condition is often characterised by flare-ups and remissions as it may occur for weeks to months and then go away for a while.

photo of Rosacea condition on temple

According to the American Academy Of Dermatology (AAD), the skin flush can begin on the nose and cheeks and spread to the forehead and chin. In some instances, the skin condition could also spread to the ears, chest, back and, making the affected area look flushed in red. It has been noted that rosacea typically begins any time after age 30. If the skin condition is left untreated, inflammatory bumps and pimples often develop, and in severe cases — particularly in men — the nose may grow swollen and bumpy from excess tissue. In as many as 50% of patients, the eyes are also affected, feeling irritated and appearing watery or bloodshot.

With that, you might be wondering what may have triggered the skin condition, as well as the available treatments for rosacea. The above information has also shown us that it is essential for individuals facing such issues to seek treatment early to prevent it from worsening. Hence, let us take a deep dive into understanding rosacea and how to clear them up!

Possible Triggers

Hereditary & Environmental Factors

beautiful woman smiling

Although the cause of rosacea remains unknown, researchers have now identified major elements of the disease process that may lead to significant advances in its treatment. Recent studies have shown that facial redness is likely to be the start of an inflammatory continuum initiated by a combination of neurovascular dysregulation and the innate immune system. The cause can also be due to a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. However, it is important to note that rosacea is not caused by poor hygiene.

Common Triggers For Flare-Ups

spicy foods

There are still several factors that may trigger flare-ups on the skin, which are:

Hot drinks and spicy foods
Red wine and other alcoholic beverages
Temperature extremes
Sunlight or wind
Emotions
Exercise
Drugs that dilate blood vessels, including some blood pressure medications
Various cosmetic products

Others: Skin Mites

skin mites

Furthermore, according to a report by Channel News Asia, studies have shown that skin mites living in and around hair follicles on the face, including eyelashes and eyelids, could be linked.

Summarily, skin mites can be found on everyone’s face, and the skin mites actually help in providing effective waste management by feeding on our dead skin cells and facial oils. However, in large quantities, the mites may also create problems such as rosacea.

A study further indicates that rosacea patients have four times more mites than those who don’t have the skin condition. It is stated that individuals who have rosacea may be genetically inclined to produce a certain type of lipid that allows the mite to flourish on our skin.

Available Treatments

woman with skin care tools around her face

Unfortunately, currently, there is no known cure for rosacea. However, with the above suggested possible triggers for the skin condition, there are still several treatments available that could be administered to temper the flare-ups of rosacea. From topical medication and other skincare treatments, the treatments listed below can help to reduce redness and swelling caused by rosacea.

Topical Medication:

woman applying skin cream on her hands

Azelaic acid: Most patients apply this medicine twice a day — in the morning and again in the evening.

Findings from 6 research studies show that between 70% and 80% of patients have had noticeably less rosacea with azelaic acid. Some patients saw a complete clearing.

Side Effects:

When you apply this medicine, you may feel some tingling or burning at first. This feeling tends to go away as you continue to use the medication.

With that, another possible side effect of this medication is skin lightening. If your rosacea caused patches of darker skin on your face, you might not mind this side effect.

If the above side effects don’t go away or persist, be sure to contact or consult a dermatologist immediately.

Metronidazole: Available as a gel or cream, this treatment has been used for more than 60 years to treat the acne-like breakouts of rosacea. Research studies show that it can effectively reduce both redness and acne-like breakouts.

Some patients are able to stop applying this medication and keep the results they gained by using metronidazole. In one study, only 23% of patients had a rosacea flare-up six months after stopping metronidazole.

Side Effects:

Possible side effects of using metronidazole gel or cream include itching, stinging, irritated skin, or dryness where you apply the medication.

Skin Care Treatments – Laser & Light Therapy

woman having Laser & Light Therapy forh er face

Other than the above topical treatments, it has been noted that laser and light therapies can help to treat the redness and acne-like breakouts effectively.

The vascular lasers emit wavelengths of light that target tiny blood vessels just under the skin. The heat from the laser’s energy can disintegrate the blood vessels that cause the overall redness.

Other than treating rosacea, laser and light therapies can also help trigger your body’s natural cell processes to accelerate rejuvenation and repair of the skin. Hence, restoring the skin’s radiance.

On that account, Shens Therapeutics is here to recommend some of our laser and light therapy treatments, which can help you combat rosacea!

Intense Pulse Light Photo Facial

woman undergoing intense pulsed light facial treatment

This treatment starts with a Facial treatment using a new breakthrough vortex-fusion technology with gentle acids and antioxidants in a series of multi-step actions to cleanse and exfoliate your skin, effectively prepping your skin for the next step.

A new generation of Intense Pulse Light (IPL) System is then applied to your treatment area. The short and safe pulses of high-intensity broad band light can help to promote collagen production in the dermis and restore skin to a more youthful state. Our advanced IPL system carefully controls the delivery of energy – both wavelengths and intensity – to treat your specific skin condition such as fine lines and wrinkles, dull skin, age/sun spots and hyperpigmentation.

Your facial treatment is completed with a relaxing customised masque.

Recommended Treatment:

Intensive treatment (four sessions weekly) and followed by maintenance (one session monthly).

Dual Light Luminous Face

The Dual Light Luminous Skin treatment starts with an intense pulsed light applied over your face using advanced clinical-grade IPL technology.

Painless and safe, the treatment promotes collagen production in the subdermal layer and restores skin to a more youthful state. The new generation IPL system carefully controls the delivery of the light – both wavelengths and speed – to treat various skin conditions. This treatment focuses on anti-ageing and skin rejuvenation, reversing fine lines and wrinkles and tired, dull skin.

Next, your skin will be treated to gentle photo-modulation of Omega LED light. LED phototherapy uses natural and gentle rays to stimulate collagen stimulation and increase cellular regeneration and metabolism. The treatment improves elasticity, increases blood circulation and oxygen flow while releasing toxins. Red or green is applied, depending on your skin condition.

Watch as your visage is refined, glowing and radiant after a single session.

Recommended Treatment:

An intensive treatment of four sessions (one session every two weeks), and followed by the maintenance (one session monthly).

Conclusion

before and after skin treatment

It would be ideal for individuals looking to treat their rosacea skin condition to make some lifestyle changes and identify environmental factors that trigger their condition. Identifying these triggering factors is an individual process as it is known that what causes a flare-up in one person may have no effect on another.

If you are interested in the laser and light therapy treatments listed above, feel free to contact our customer support team via the hotline or WhatsApp for more information.

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May 2021