What is Rosacea and how is it treated in Santa Barbara, CA?
Dealing with a bright red flush on your cheeks and nose that is bumpy, tender, or may even burn? If so, you could be dealing with a skin condition known as rosacea. Rosacea is more common than you might realize, affecting millions of people between the ages of 30 to 50 years old. While there is no cure for rosacea, our team of dermatologists here at Kind Dermatology and Medical Spa can provide you with effective solutions to help get your rosacea flare-ups under control.
What causes rosacea?
Unfortunately, it still isn’t clear what causes rosacea; however, certain factors could play a role in who develops rosacea over their lifetime. We often see rosacea run in families, so if you have a sibling or parent with rosacea you may be more likely to develop this skin condition, as well. Damage to the blood vessels of the face (e.g., sun damage) may also predispose you to develop rosacea later on in life.
How is rosacea treated?
When you come into our office for care, know that we will get to work creating a custom treatment plan to help get your symptoms under control. Your treatment plan will typically involve a combination of medications, therapies, and simple lifestyle changes, and home care. Some ways you can manage your rosacea include,
- Wear sunscreen and sun protection every day, as exposure to sunlight can cause rosacea to flare-up. It is incredibly important that you protect your skin all 365 days out of the year with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains an SPF of 30 or higher. It’s also best to avoid going out between the hours of 10 am-4 pm, when the sun’s rays are at their most powerful.
- How you care for and cleanse your skin is also important with rosacea. You’ll want to stick with mild cleansers and gentle techniques. You don’t want to use hot water, which can be too abrasive, and you don’t want to use any products or towels that may be too aggressive on your delicate skin. You’ll want to avoid fragrances, astringents, and toners, as they can also be too tough on rosacea.
- If you have visible blood vessels or you have severe redness, our dermatologists may recommend laser therapy to help ease these symptoms and reduce the appearance of these blood vessels. We may prescribe special creams and gels to help with your symptoms, and they should be applied directly to the face to reduce redness. With continued use, some patients see a reduction in redness for up to 12 hours after applying the medicated gel or cream.