Rosacea is a skin disorder which manifests itself through the development of redness on an adult’s face. It is a chronic condition and has a vascular component (couperosis) and an acneiform component (acne rosacea).
The vascular component can be treated well with lasers. The acneiform component often requires topical or systemic medication.
Different forms of Rosacea:
- Couperosis – the vascular form with diffuse redness and permanently
dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia), especially on the cheeks, nose and chin. - Acneiform component: papular or papulo-pustular form with the presence
of pimples, red papules (bumps). - Rhinophyma (also called ‘potato nose): an irregular swelling of the nose,
due to sebaceous gland hyperplasia (a visible enlargement of the sebaceous
glands in the skin) and a process of fibrosis (increase of connective tissue in the
skin).
Rosacea patients are known to have recurrent ‘attacks’ or ‘flare-ups’, in which the redness in the face worsens and pimples and bumps may be visible.
The pores are often colonized by a small skin parasite, Demodex folliculorum
(skin mite).
Rosacea is, because of the redness of nose and cheeks, often mistakenly seen as a sign of excessive alcohol consumption, which can have quite a serious psychosocial impact on the patient.
Treatment of Rosacea consists of combination of topical and medical treatments with DermaV vascular laser being the most effective. Other treatment protocols include use of IPL, laser Genesis, or Clarity Inner Lift technique.
Rhinophyma will be treated with surgical electrocoagulation and CO2 ablative laser.