Rosacea Treatment Geelong

Rosacea is an extremely common, chronic, under-diagnosed skin condition characterised by facial redness and flushing.

At RiverEnd Aesthetics, medical treatments are highly sought after to treat rosacea, and it is one of the most common skin concerns of cosmetic patients.

What is rosacea?

Rosacea is characterised by:

• Transient, recurrent facial “flushing”
• Persistent facial erythema (redness)
• Presence of telangiectasia (little visible blood vessels or “broken capillaries”)
• Papules and pustules
• Burning/stinging sensation
• Dry/scaly skin
• Skin thickening, particularly over the nose and chin
• Mild swelling of the affected skin

Usually, affected individuals have a typical “butterfly rash” over the nose and cheeks, and often the chin is also affected. Rosacea mostly affects those with fair skin, with peak symptoms seen in individuals 30 to 50 years of age. Women are more likely to develop rosacea than men, but when men have rosacea it tends to really affect their noses.

There are 4 different types of rosacea, and sometimes they overlap.

1. Vascular or erythrotelangiectatic rosacea
   – Characterised by intermittent flushing and redness, which over time can lead to permanent redness
   – Usually over the central face although the neck and ears can also be involved
2. Papulopustular or inflammatory rosacea
   – Characterised by inflammatory pustules, usually over the central face
   – Usually affects middle-aged women
3. Phymatous rosacea
   – Characterised by thickened skin which overgrows in response to chronic inflammation
   – This is usually seen in the nose (“rhinophyma”), mostly in older men
   – Often associated with moderate-to-severe telangiectasia
4. Ocular (eye) rosacea
   – Characterised by inflammation of the eyelids, lashlines, and sometimes conjunctivitis

What causes Rosacea?

There are multiple factors contributing to the development of rosacea

• Genetics: Rosacea is more commonly seen in those with fair skin, blue eyes, from Celtic or northern European descent
• Hormonal imbalances: Menopause or pregnancy can worsen rosacea symptoms
• Environmental factors/triggers: Spicy foods, alcohol, hot showers, exposure to extreme temperatures, UV light, emotions, stress, and the majority of cosmetic skin products
• Medications: Drugs such as beta-blockers, topical steroids
• Demodex skin mites: Tiny, microscopic mites can live inside our hair and sebaceous follicles on the face, and they cause inflammation.
• Skin barrier damage: People with rosacea have high levels of protease activity in the epidermal layer of their skin. Proteases are inflammatory proteins that break down the skin barrier.

Rosacea can significantly impact an individual’s self-esteem. If left untreated, symptoms can also worsen over time. Rosacea is not curable, but the good news is there are quite a number of evidence-based treatment options available to effectively minimise the signs and symptoms, and work to prevent severe flare-ups into the future.

Rosacea treatments

Home skin care regimes are very important in managing rosacea. Incorrect skin care regimes are a very common cause of flare-ups, because the skin barrier is impaired. Topical serums with niaciniamide (vitamin B), azelaic acid and hyaluronic acid (HA) are great for rosacea, whereas retinoids (vitamin A), vitamin C and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA’s) should be avoided. As always, a broad spectrum sunscreen is very important.

Rosacea symptoms often need a combination of different types of treatments for the best results. Your GP might prescribe prolonged courses of oral and/or topical antibiotics to reduce inflammatory pustules or ocular symptoms. Sometimes topical antiparasitic creams are required to treat potential skin mites. There are also prescription medications to apply topically to temporarily reduce flushing and redness. Laser treatment can be very effective, as well as other nonsurgical interventions available at RiverEnd Aesthetics.

We recommend booking an initial consultation with our doctors to discuss your particular circumstances, and to formulate a plan to best treat your rosacea symptoms.