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Do I Have Rosacea, and How Can I Prevent It?

One day you may have woken up to find that your skin—particularly on your cheeks, chin, and forehead—has turned bright red. Slowly, the redness starts to reveal broken blood vessels that look like small red veins. A bumpy texture starts to take form in patches that resemble an irritating rash. If you can relate to any of this, there is a good chance that you have rosacea.

 

The first thing you should learn about rosacea is that you’re not alone. Nearly 16 million people suffer from it in the United States alone. At Desert Med Aesthetics in Palm Desert, CA, Dr. Doriana Cosgrove helps her patients find lasting solutions for the most stubborn skin problems, including rosacea.

 

Continue reading to learn more about this irritating skin ailment and how to treat and prevent it.

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a type of skin condition that causes redness, visibly broken blood vessels, and rough patches of skin in the flushed area. It usually begins as a blush across the cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead. The redness may become more prominent and uncomfortable without proper treatment by a licensed esthetician or dermatologist. Eventually, the redness can even spread to the chest, back, and ears.

 

There are four different types of rosacea:

 

  1. Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea

Not only is the name difficult, but this type of rosacea can be difficult to treat. It is characterized by frequent episodes of flushing, general redness, and visible blood vessels at the skin’s surface. It can also be accompanied by facial swelling, stinging, and burning.

  1. Ocular Rosacea

Ocular rosacea is characterized by red, swollen eyelids, irritated or red eyes, and cysts that form on the eyelids. Often accompanied by itching or burning eyes, dryness, light sensitivity, and dilated blood vessels in the whites of the eyes.

 

  1. Papulopustular Rosacea

Those with this type of rosacea often experience pus-filled blemishes and red irritation bumps. Often, these can be misdiagnosed as acne.

  1. Phymatous Rosacea

This type of rosacea commonly affects men. Symptoms include hardening of the epidermis, scarring, swelling, texture irregularities, and discoloration. In rare cases, it can also have a bulbous nose or rhinophyma.

What Can Cause Rosacea?

People with rosacea often have very sensitive skin, meaning a variety of factors can lead to a rosacea flare-up. For example, spending a lot of time in the sun can increase skin redness. Irritation from skincare products can also cause symptoms of rosacea. Some other common triggers include food allergies, alcoholic beverages (specifically red wine), stress and anxiety, cosmetics, weather, physical exertion, medications, and medical conditions.

What Treatments Are There for Rosacea?

At Desert Med Aesthetics, Dr. Cosgrove offers patients suffering from  rosacea Cutera’s Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL therapy, a skin rejuvenation treatment designed to target redness, sun damage, hyperpigmentation, and rosacea. The innovative technology uses a high-powered, hand-held device to apply intense pulses of broad-spectrum light to areas most affected by rosacea. The light targets only the melanin spots or dilated capillaries, breaking them down and returning the skin to an even, natural tone.

Ways To Prevent Rosacea

Many people learn what triggers their rosacea and try their best to avoid them. A few ways you can do this is by keeping a diary of what you eat and drink, activities you engage in regularly, locations you visit, when you are menstruating, and protecting your skin from the sun. Sometimes, the causes of rosacea are unavoidable, like if your rosacea is hereditary. In that case, a treatment at Desert Med Aesthetics is your best option for treating and preventing rosacea flare-ups.

Schedule A Consultation and Learn If IPL Therapy Is Right for Your Rosacea

Spending hours in front of your mirror hiding your rosacea under cosmetics can be a thing of the past. Instead, save yourself time and money in the long run by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Doriana Cosgrove to see if IPL therapy is right for you. During your consultation, Dr. Cosgrove will examine your skin to determine if you’re a good candidate while recommending alternative treatments to help you reach your goals. To get started, call (760) 777-8772 or fill out our online form today.