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Posts Tagged ‘rosacea’

Isolaz for Rosacea Treatment on Good Morning America: Notes from a San Francisco Bay Area Dermatologist

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Not only has the Isolaz treatment been beneficial to my patients suffering from acne, but it is also an excellent treatment for rosacea as highlighted in this clip from Good Morning America.  The features of Isolaz treatments that I like best are that they are safe and effective for all skin types, they are painless, there is no downtime and there is an overall improvement in the skin’s appearance.  Call our office for more details!

 

Rosacea - A little known skin condition that explains a lot

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Rosacea affects an estimated 14 million Americans…and most of them don’t know that they have it!!   A recent Gallup survey found that 78 percent of Americans have no knowledge of this condition, including how to recognize it and what to do about it.

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by varying combinations of the following: flushing, central face redness, telangiectasias (small visible blood vessels), inflammatory lesions (pimple-like papules and/or pustules), facial edema/swelling and watery/irritated eyes.  Other associated symptoms of rosacea often include: stinging, burning, itchy facial skin, and scaling. A person may exhibit a few or many of these factors, depending on their particular level of rosacea.

Rosacea is typically characterized by cycles of flare and remission.  Trigger factors are lifestyle or environmental factors that aggravate or flare-up an individual’s condition.  Patients can improve their chances of maintaining remission by identifying and avoiding these triggers.  While trigger factors are very individualized, some of the most common include: sun exposure, emotional stress, hot or cold weather, wind, alcohol, spicy foods, heavy exercise, hot baths, hot beverages, and certain skin care products.  Although none of us like to change our habits, lifestyle modifications can make a difference.

If acne-like bumps are present, they often appear in the redder area of the central face and may be due to issues related to blood flow, skin bacteria, microscopic skin mites (Demodex), irritation of follicles, sun damage of the connective tissue under the skin, an abnormal immune or inflammatory response, and/or psychological factors.

Patients with rosacea often say that their skin is extremely “sensitive” to topical products.  They should avoid cosmetics and skin care products containing alcohol, witch hazel, heavy fragrances, menthol, peppermint, and eucalyptus oil, which are all potential irritants.  We like mineral-based cosmetics like Jane Iredale and ColorScience, which are available at our office.  Rosacea sufferers also do best with physical sunblocks (sunblocks containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, that reflect the rays of the sun) versus chemical sunscreens that absorb the rays of the sun and convert them to heat – this added heat production can increase facial redness.

Appropriate skin care helps to repair and maintain the integrity of rosacea sufferers’ skin barrier, by keeping water/hydration in the skin and irritants out.  This ultimately reduces the signs and symptoms of the disease and augments the therapeutic benefit of medications.  A dermatologist can help formulate an appropriate skin care regimen.

Medical treatment options for rosacea include both oral and topical agents, which are capable of reducing the number of inflammatory lesions (bumps/pustules) and the intensity of erythema (facial redness).  The formation of blood vessels (telangiectasias) associated with rosacea is not treatable with topical or oral medical therapies.  V-Beam and IPL laser treatments, however, are very effective in reducing both visible blood vessels and background redness.  For optimal results, laser therapy should be done in conjunction with topical and/or oral medications and lifestyle modifications.  All of these treatments take time to work, but studies have shown that people who continue therapy for the long term are less likely to experience a recurrence of symptoms.  The more people know about rosacea the more they can reduce flares, minimize symptoms and improve the look of their skin!

The underlying cause of rosacea remains elusive.  Most likely rosacea occurs due to a complex combination of both genetics and environmental factors along with vascular and inflammatory components.  While there is no present “cure” , the symptoms of this skin condition can usually be controlled with medical therapy and lifestyle modifications.

For more information on rosacea, visit the National Rosacea Society website.  If you feel that you may have symptoms associated with rosacea, please contact a dermatologist for evaluation and treatment.

 

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