Laser Treatment for Rosacea

If you’ve already exhausted all treatment avenues and you’re still experiencing signs of rosacea like redness and bumps, it’s time to consider a laser treatment. Lasers are surprisingly effective for reducing these frustrating rosacea symptoms.

Lasers help reduce visible capillaries directly, offering a lasting solution for redness. Some laser treatments also help with other rosacea symptoms, like bumps and thickened skin. In this guide, we dive into the different laser treatments and how they help with rosacea. We’ll also explain timelines, risks, and more, so you can make an informed decision about your treatment.

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition that leads to:

• Facial redness and visible capillaries (most common)
• Pimple-like bumps (fairly common)
• Thickened skin, especially on the nose (less common)
• Eye irritation in the case of ocular rosacea

These symptoms are often temporary at first, often showing up as a “flare-up” brought on by specific triggers. Triggers can be external or internal irritants, including certain foods, the weather, and even stress.

Over time, signs of rosacea can become more persistent, especially without adequate treatment.

The redness in rosacea is caused by dilated blood vessels. When the skin gets inflamed, the blood vessels swell with blood. For some people, the redness is temporary, while for others, the vessels become permanently dilated, resulting in an always-present flush.

There is no one clear cause for rosacea — doctors believe it’s caused by a combination of factors, including abnormal blood vessel response and immune system activation. Your skin’s microbiome also plays a role, as people with rosacea often have a higher quantity of demodex mites on their skin.

How Lasers Treat Rosacea

Lasers are effective at addressing rosacea symptoms in the following ways.

Reducing Redness

Lasers treat rosacea by shrinking or collapsing the overactive blood vessels. They’re an incredible solution for facial redness, especially if you’ve not had success with topical treatments.

Lasers help with rosacea because they penetrate exactly to where the blood vessels are located in the skin.

Hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, absorbs the laser and then heats up. The tiny bursts of localized heat collapse the blood vessels, helping them and the redness they cause disappear.

Addressing Thickened Skin

Ablative lasers, while not recommended for facial redness from rosacea, can help with thickened skin. These lasers, like the CO2 laser, remove layers of skin from the surface, eliminating rough or bumpy thickened skin. However, these laser treatments often require significant downtime post-treatment.

Types of Lasers for Rosacea

Nd:YAG lasers offer an excellent combination of redness reduction and overall skin rejuvenation. IN addition to helping reduce signs of rosacea, they can also help reduce hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and breakouts.

Pulse dye lasers (PDL) and potassium-titanyl phosphate (KTP) lasers are both excellent options for rosacea. They have a high affinity for hemoglobin, so they target redness very effectively.

Finally, CO2 lasers are an intensive option that can help remove thickened skin, making them a treatment option for rhinophyma (thickened skin on the nose) as a result for rosacea. However, this laser is not recommended for other types of rosacea, as it is quite aggressive.

Side Effects & Risks

It’s imperative to get treated by a certified provider who follows best practices, and can analyze your skin to ensure you’re a safe candidate for treatment.

You may also want to speak to your doctor to confirm that laser treatments are a safe and appropriate option for you, especially if you’re currently using any prescription treatments with photosensitizing effects.

While lasers are great at addressing persistent redness, they’re not recommended if you’re dealing with an active flare-up or inflammation.

Common side effects from laser treatments for rosacea range from the extremely mild to more severe, depending on the intensity of the laser.

The common side effects with the Laser Facial at SEV include:

• Mild, short-occurring redness
• Warmth or a sunburn-like sensation

Less commonly, some clients may experience itchiness, purging (a temporary breakout), or short-occurring pigmentation changes. With more intensive lasers, there is a greater risk of burns, with the potential for scarring or lasting pigmentation changes.

Recovery & Aftercare Tips

Post-treatment, it’s important to take gentle care of your skin. Focus on barrier recovery with nourishing skincare. Avoid any harsh products such as exfoliants, retinoids, and benzoyl peroxide for at least 24-48 hours — ask your prescriber about taking a break if you’re using any prescription creams or ointments.

Protecting the skin from the sun is also imperative, with a minimum of 30 SPF sunscreen. Aside from that, you’ll be able to wear makeup a few hours after your treatment.

Book a Rosacea-Friendly Laser Treatment at SEV

The SEV Laser Facial is a rejuvenating treatment designed to give the skin a comprehensive boost. You will likely need a series of sessions to see significant redness reduction, but in the process your skin will also enjoy a range of other benefits. It helps create brighter, clearer skin in just a few sessions, while stimulating collagen production and reducing bacteria.

It’s a gentle treatment without any discomfort or downtime, making it an excellent option if you’d like to address your rosacea without having to worry about a laser treatment putting you out of commission. The best part? Your first treatment is on us when you book online using code HELLOGLOW.