Rosacea Treatment
At a Glance
Rosacea is an inflammatory condition that affects millions of people in the UK. Rosacea can affect anyone, although it is most common in middle-ages and those with lighter skin tones.
Typically, rosacea affects only the skin on your nose, cheeks, and forehead. Flare-ups often occur in cycles. This means that you will experience symptoms for weeks or months at a time, the symptoms will go away, and then they will return.
Symptoms of rosacea
- Redness and flushing in the central part of the face.
- Red, pus-filled bumps. These can be mistaken for acne.
- Tiny broken veins (telangiectasia) can occur after a period of time.
- Eye problems – dry irritated, swollen eyes and red eyelids.
- Enlarged nose – over time, rosacea can thicken the skin on the nose, causing it to appear larger than normal.
Cause of roseacea
The exact cause for rosacea is not known although there are some things that could make your symptoms worse, including:
- Alcohol
- Hot temperature (including food and drink)
- Caffeine
- Spicy foods
- Sunlight or wind
- Stress and other emotions
- Exercise
- Topical steroids or other medications that dilate blood vessels, including some blood pressure medications.
Whilst anyone can develop rosacea, there are also known risk factors, which can make you more likely to develop symptoms such as:
- Family history – if rosacea runs in your family, you’re more likely to have it yourself.
- Light complexion – people with fair or light skin are at greater risk.
- Age – people between the ages of 30 and 60 are more likely to develop rosacea, especially women of this age going through menopause.
- Smoking.
Treatment for rosacea
Although there is no cure, you can minimise symptoms by:
- Protecting your face with SPF and antioxidants.
- Identifying and avoiding triggers.
- Being gentle with your skin – using suitable products for your skin.
- Avoiding rubbing your face too much.
- Facial treatments.
We are able to offer assessment, diagnosis and treatment plans for rosacea – we aim to make living with this condition as comfortable for you as possible with the right care and treatments! We are an Obagi Medical skincare ambassador clinic, meaning we can offer prescription treatments to help manage your condition.
For a skin assessment with the medical professionals at our Birmingham clinics, get in touch today.