It is thought that one in ten people in the UK suffer from the effects of rosacea. Most people who suffer with this condition will often find themselves fighting a losing battle with red, itchy skin, that can sometimes look like acne. According to the National Rosacea Society although so many people of affected by this, as much as 95% of sufferers were not aware of the signs or symptoms prior to contracting the condition.
Rosacea mainly affects those over 30 years of age, so it may be worth you looking into exactly what rosacea is, the symptoms and how to treat it effectively.
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea is an irritable skin condition, which usually affects the face, including; cheeks, nose and the forehead. This condition usually only affects the facial blood vessels, leading them to become extremely sensitive to certain triggers such as sun exposure, heat, rich food, caffeine and alcohol. The symptoms of the condition aren’t always present, which means that there will be times where its visibility is reduced, and those where they are particularly prominent.
What causes Rosacea?
The exact cause of rosacea is still unknown, although there are a number of factors that have been suggested, but not yet proven.
According to the NHS, these possible factors include; blood vessel abnormalities, skin peptides, microscopic mites and genetics. The triggers for bouts of rosacea differ from person to person, making it difficult to discover the cause.
What are the main symptoms of Rosacea?
There are a number of symptoms associated with rosacea, however each patient won’t necessarily suffer from all of them. The most common symptoms if flushing of the face, however other symptoms include:
- Facial redness
- Visible blood vessels
- Papules and pustules
- Thickened Skin
- Eye Issues (such as the feeling of dryness and irritation)
- Sensitive Skin
What are the best treatments?
Unfortunately there is no cure for rosacea, however there are a number of effective treatments that can help reduce the symptoms.
Traditional methods of treatment that are known to be effective are antibiotics, however they have also been reported to carry a number of side effects such as sickness and dryness of the skin. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment has been clinically proven to effectively reduce the symptoms, without the side effects of medicine. This treatment is highly regarded as one of the best treatments available for rosacea sufferers, which use light energy to take the small capillaries in the skin.
The treatment works by targeting the affected area with light, which is then absorbed by the skin, which damages problem capillaries and allows them to be naturally absorbed by the body. As this skin begins to absorb the light, the effects of rosacea will be less visible, with multiple treatments, rosacea can completely recede.
If you are suffering from the effects of rosacea, contact Skin Medial today arrange your consultation with one of our expert skin consultants.
