Investigating Rosacea: Treatments To Overcome The Redness

Rosacea remains one of the most commonly diagnosed skin conditions, affecting around two to 10% of the population. More often than not, rosacea appears in more women than men.¹Although people with fair skin are more prone to getting rosacea, published studies have reported that people with darker skin types can also be affected.¹

Untreated rosacea can lead to significant skin damage, and can even affect the eyes. In fact, 50 to 75% of cases usually present eye symptoms such as dryness, redness, blurred vision, and light sensitivity.²

Psychological complications of rosacea can include low self-esteem, embarrassment, depression and anxiety. According to a study, 77% of patients are emotionally affected by the condition, with 53% reporting that it has negatively affected their relationships and attitude towards dating.⁵

Although it is a common condition, the exact causes are still a mystery.³ However, some findings indicate that genetic and environmental components can trigger rosacea. They can be worsened by the poor adaptive and innate ability of your immune system.⁴

Because of the damage rosacea can cause, it’s crucial to visit a dermatologist at the earliest developing sign. In order to guide you to the right treatment, the first step is to examine what type of rosacea you have. This will help in deciding the choice of treatments that will help alleviate your symptoms.

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a common but chronic inflammatory skin disease in adults that presents as the reddening of the face together with pimples, pustules and visible blood vessels.⁵ It starts from a light blush around the nose and cheeks, which can be mistaken as a normal blush.

However, when it worsens, symptoms such as spiderweb-like veins may develop, and the redness can be seen around the forehead, eyes, chin and even the neck area. In severe cases, it can lead to other skin issues such as acne outbreaks or produce small and painful pus-filled bumps.⁵

Since rosacea can be a complex condition, it has been classified into four subtypes, according to the signs and symptoms that can appear simultaneously. They are:

Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea

This type is categorised by persistent redness at the centre of the face and flushing. There is the possibility of visible blood vessels in this subtype, and the skin of the patient is usually very sensitive. Hence, it isn’t uncommon for patients to experience a stinging or burning sensation on their skin.

It usually occurs before or at the same time with bumps and pimples from papulopustular rosacea.⁵

Papulopustular Rosacea

The symptoms of this type can occur along with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. In addition to a persistent facial redness in the centre of the face, symptoms of this type will include the development of papules and/or pustules. They will also notice rough, scaly red patches called plaques.

While the papules and pustules can be mistaken for acne due to their similar appearance, there are usually no blackheads or whiteheads in rosacea. Moreover, acne is usually found in other areas, such as the back, shoulders, and chest.

This type of rosacea occurs among those who are middle-aged and tends to affect more females than males.⁵

Rhinophyma (Phymatous Rosacea)

Phymatous rosacea affects areas such as the nose, chin, forehead, ears and eyelids. It usually shows up in areas with thicker skin or irregular surfaces such as the nose. There is a possibility of visible spiderweb-like blood vessels appearing as well.

At one point, rhinophyma was speculated to be caused by heavy alcohol use, but it has been refuted when observations found that people who do not consume alcohol can get it just as often as those who consume large amounts of them. This type is seen more frequently in men.⁵

Ocular Rosacea

Symptoms for ocular rosacea can range from minor irritation, dryness and blurry vision to severe disruption at the eye surface and inflammation of the cornea.

Those who suffer from this type of rosacea often experience eye conditions such as blepharitis and conjunctivitis. Other eye-related indications include eyelid thickening, eyelid crusts and scales, swelling of the eyelid, ulcers and scars at the cornea and excessive blood vessels at the eye. However, sight-threatening diseases are rare.

Treatments To Tackle Rosacea

While there is no cure for rosacea, treatment can control and reduce the signs and symptoms. One of the best ways to control rosacea is the use of a pulsed dye laser (PDL).

The Vbeam® PDL has a wavelength of 595 nm, and is very well absorbed by haemoglobin in red blood cells. This laser is therefore very effective at treating the vascular components of rosacea, and the adjustable spot sizes allow for rapid and effective treatment of vasculature.

The 3x10mm elliptical spot size is the choice to treat linear telangiectasias in patients with rosacea, and the 7mm to 10mm spot sizes are very effective for treating the background erythema existing in rosacea.

Laser therapy with the Vbeam® PDL is not only highly effective, but is also very well-tolerated, as it provides clearance of vessels, improvement of erythema, and improvement of overall skin condition which can be used alone or as an adjunct to other medical therapies to optimise rosacea control.

Moreover, Vbeam® PDL tends to address rosacea better than Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) in fewer treatments. Typically, it can take IPL up to 6 treatments to resolve rosacea-induced redness, while Vbeam® PDL can yield similar results in 3 to 4 treatments. Additionally, Vbeam® PDL also helps with rosacea-induced acne.

In addition to Vbeam® PDL, Dr Angeline is able to utilise the ground-breaking pico lasers including PicoWay and PicoSure technology to customise the treatment and target a variety of pigmentation problems other than rosacea. These lasers can be precisely calibrated to target pigmentary concerns and textural irregularities on your skin, no matter your skin type.

Don’t Let Rosacea Get In The Way Of Flawless Skin

Although rosacea can happen to anyone, it can still cause a significant impact on one’s self-esteem and daily life. Ultimately, the treatment options available help reduce the appearance and hopefully control it to the point it becomes dormant to avoid any more flareups.

In some cases, rosacea requires medical treatment, since they can potentially affect the eyes, and therefore, your vision. If you are currently experiencing the symptoms of rosacea, it’s best to consult a dermatologist as soon as possible.

Having in-depth experience and knowledge in dermatological surgery, Dr Angeline is dedicated to caring for those whose confidence has taken a blow from a range of skin conditions. Whether you are planning to undergo hair transplant surgery in Singapore or aren’t quite sure which is the right laser treatment for you, contact us today to start your journey to more healthy and radiant skin!

References

Johnson, S. M., Berg, A., & Barr, C. (2020). Managing Rosacea in the Clinic: From Pathophysiology to Treatment-A Review of the Literature. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 13(4 Suppl), S17–S22.

Farshchian, M. (2021, August 11). Rosacea. StatPearls [Internet]. Retrieved October 22, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557574/.

Heisig, M., & Reich, A. (2018). Psychosocial aspects of rosacea with a focus on anxiety and depression. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, Volume 11, 103–107. https://doi.org/10.2147/ccid.s126850

Buddenkotte, J., & Steinhoff, M. (2018). Recent advances in understanding and managing rosacea. F1000Research, 7, F1000 Faculty Rev-1885. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.16537.1

Mikkelsen, C. S., Holmgren, H. R., Kjellman, P., Heidenheim, M., Karppinnen, A., Bjerring, P., & Huldt-Nystrøm, T. (2016). Rosacea: A clinical review. Dermatology Reports, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2016.6387

Goldberg D. J. (2012). Current trends in intense pulsed light. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 5(6), 45–53.

Use of this website signifies your agreement to The Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

You are deemed to have entered into an agreement with Angeline Yong Dermatology and to have agreed to be bound by the terms set out below by accessing ayd.com.sg (“the Sites”) or by otherwise accessing any content found on this web site. By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed, without limitation or qualification, to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. The Site is owned and operated by Angeline Yong Dermatology.

Intellectual Property Protection
Use of Angeline Yong Dermatology Content
Changes to the Site
Privacy Policy
No Warranty, Disclaimer of Liability and Indemnity
Force Majeure
Miscellaneous
Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Intellectual Property Protection

The contents and design of the Site and any material e-mailed to you or otherwise supplied to you in conjunction with the Site (such contents, design and materials being collectively referred to as the “Angeline Yong Dermatology Content”, are copyright of Angeline Yong Dermatology. You may not use or reproduce or allow anyone to use or reproduce any trademarks (such as ” Angeline Yong Dermatology” name and logo or other trade names appearing on the Site) for any reason without written permission from Angeline Yong Dermatology. The software, which operates the Site, is proprietary software and you may not use it except as expressly allowed under these Terms. You may not copy, modify, reverse engineer or otherwise interfere with the software.

Use of Angeline Yong Dermatology Content

You may retrieve and display the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content on a computer screen or mobile telephone, print individual pages on paper (but not photocopy them) and store such pages in electronic form for your personal, non-commercial use. You may not save or post any of the Content on blogs, Facebook, and other websites that allows viewing by the general public without written permission from Angeline Yong Dermatology. Except as expressly set out above, you may not reproduce, modify or in any way commercially exploit any of the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content.

Changes to the Site

Angeline Yong Dermatology reserves the right to change, modify, suspend, add or remove portions of the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content available on the Site at any time and to restrict the use and accessibility of the Site in its discretion and without prior notification.

Privacy Policy

The information that you provide about yourself and your company to Angeline Yong Dermatology will only be used in accordance with Angeline Yong Dermatology’s Privacy Policy Statement. We will:

retain your information only for as long as there is a business need
take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is accurate, adequate, relevant and up to date.
update or correct your information held by us whenever necessary
take appropriate measures to prevent and minimize risks of unauthorised access to the information

We may use your personal information, such as your name and contact details, for the following purposes:

to perform the services that you have requested, which may involve contacting you by telephone, mobile phone, fax machine, post or email, including sending you electronic direct mailers.
to allow us to promote our products, events and activities.

No Warranty, Disclaimer of Liability and Indemnity

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the high quality and accuracy of the Site, Angeline Yong Dermatology makes no warranty, express or implied, concerning the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content, the Site, software or products or services available through the Site (the “Site Services”), which are provided “as is”. Angeline Yong Dermatology expressly disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to warranties of fitness for a particular purpose and warranties of merchantability. In no event will Angeline Yong Dermatology, its affiliates or other suppliers be liable for direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information or other pecuniary loss) arising directly or indirectly from the use of (or failure to use) or reliance on the Site Services, even if Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates has been advised of the possibility that such damages may arise.

Angeline Yong Dermatology does not guarantee the accuracy, content, or timeliness of the Site Services or that they or related systems are free from viruses or other contaminating or destructive properties. Angeline Yong Dermatology accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided “as is” with no warranty, express or implied for the information provided within them.

Upon accessing to this Site, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates from any claims and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, related to any breach of these Terms by you or your use of any Site Services.

Force Majeure

Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates will not be liable or deemed to be in default for any delay or failure in performance or interruption of the delivery of the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content resulting directly or indirectly from any cause or circumstance beyond its or their reasonable control, including but not limited to failure of electronic or mechanical equipment or communication lines, telephone or other interconnect problems, computer viruses, unauthorized access, theft, operator errors, severe weather, earthquakes or natural disasters, strikes or other labour problems, wars, or government restrictions.

Miscellaneous

Changes to these Terms. Angeline Yong Dermatology may, in its discretion, change these Terms (including those relating to your use of Site and/or the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content. When Terms are changed, Angeline Yong Dermatology will notify you by email or by publishing details of those changes by including them in these Terms. If you use the Site after Angeline Yong Dermatology has published or notified you of the changes, you are agreeing now to be bound by those changes. If you do not agree to be bound by those changes, you should not use the Site any further after they are published. Access to certain areas of the Angeline Yong Dermatology Content may be subject to additional terms and conditions.

Advertising, Third Party Content and other Web Sites. Parts of the Site may contain advertising or other third-party content. Advertisers and other content providers are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on the Site complies with international and national law. Angeline Yong Dermatology is not responsible for any third-party content or error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertising material. The Site may contain links to other web sites. Angeline Yong Dermatology is not responsible for the availability of these web sites or their contents.

Assignment of Agreement. This agreement is personal to you and your rights and obligations under these Terms may not be assigned, sub-licensed or otherwise transferred. This agreement may be assigned to a third party by Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates.

Non-Waiver. No delay or omission on the part of either party in requiring performance by the other party of its obligations will operate as a waiver of any right.

Notices. Notices to Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates must be given in writing by letter.

Severability/Survival/Statute of Limitations. If any provision of these Terms is invalid or unenforceable, such will not render all the Terms unenforceable or invalid but rather the Terms will be read and construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision(s) are not contained therein. Any cause of action of yours with respect to these Terms must be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction in Singapore, within one year after the cause of action has arisen, or such cause will be barred, invalid, and void.

Whole Agreement. Save as expressly referred to herein, any representation, warranty, term or condition not expressly set out in these Terms shall not apply.

Headings. Headings in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal meaning or effect.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the Laws of the Republic of Singapore. The parties irrevocably agree that the courts of Singapore shall (subject to the paragraph below) have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute which may arise out of, under, or in connection with these Terms or the legal relationship established by them, and for those purposes irrevocably submit all disputes to the jurisdiction of Singapore courts. For the exclusive benefit of Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates, Angeline Yong Dermatology and its affiliates shall retain the right to bring proceedings as to the substance of the matter in the courts of the country of your residence or, where these Terms are entered into in the course of your trade or profession, the country of your principal place of business.

Media.

Investigating Rosacea: Treatments To Overcome The Redness