Rosacea Red Skin Condition

Rosacea

Rosacea is a common and chronic inflammatory disorder, it affects the face. Rosacea causes facial redness and dilated capillaries. It is often hard to diagnose as Rosacea because it may look like acne. The forehead, cheeks and chin develop yellow-headed pimples, but unlike acne they do not scar. Rosacea also can cause swollen cheeks, a burning sensation of the cheeks and permanent flushing of the nose and cheeks.

Rosacea can be worsened by alcohol, hot drinks, spicy food, overexposure to sunlight, emotional stress and overheating.

Rosacea is not contagious and there is no real cure for Rosacea, but the symptoms can be controlled by using cold packs, avoiding triggers, gels, antibiotics and laser surgery.

Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists state that in most cases the management of rosacea is simple, affordable and highly effective.

The Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists use a combination of intense pulsed light and laser technology to allow blood vessels to fade and slowly disappear. Before and after the expects use certain ingredients to prepare and recover from the treatment. The Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists state that it is highly important to treat Rosacea early before permanent skin damage can occur.

We spoke to Ms. Alison Gray R.N. Div 1 a Practice Manager at Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists about the treatment of Rosacea.

Rosacea Interview with Alison Gray

How do you treat Rosacea?

Ms. Alison Gray: The treatment of choice to treat Rosacea is IPL (Intense Pulse Light). This treatment destroys unsightly blood vessels so they fade and slowly disappear. Each person is assessed individually but usually 4 - 6 treatments spread a month apart is recommended. Then maintenance treatment every 12 - 18 months may be required.


How effective is the treatments?

Ms. Alison Gray: IPL is extremely effective. IPL is a proven technology to help minimize the embarrassing flushing or facial and neck redness associated with Rosacea.


Does cold pack help?

Ms. Alison Gray: With any IPL treatments, is essential to cool the skin of the area to be treated. This can be done with a cold pack or alternatively at Erase we use a Cryo cooling machine to cool the skin area that is to be treated. A cold pack alone does not control Rosacea.


How often have these patients come into the clinic?

Ms. Alison Gray: This is a very common condition, and most suffers still suffer in silence unaware there is a treatment available. At Erase this treatment is would be 30 to 40% of our business.


How many people come back for a second or 3rd treatment?

Ms. Alison Gray: At the initial consultation the condition Rosacea and the treatment plan are discussed thoroughly. At Erase Skin Rejuvenation we would have a 90% compliancy. We also provide our clients with a skin management system to help control Rosacea. This is as follows:
Cleanse: Jan Marini Skin Research Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser Cleanser
Rejuvenate: Jan Marini Skin Research C-esta Serum
Rejuvenate/Resurface: Jan Marini Skin Research Factor A Plus Cream
Hydrate: Jan Marini Skin Research Age Intervention Peptide Extreme
Protect: Jan Marini Skin Research Antioxidant Daily Face Protector

AM:
Cleanse: Jan Marini Skin Research Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser Cleanser
Rejuvenate: Jan Marini Skin Research C-esta Serum
Hydrate: Jan Marini Skin Research Age Intervention Peptide Extreme
Protect: Jan Marini Skin Research Antioxidant Daily Face Protector

PM:
Cleanse: Jan Marini Skin Research Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser Cleanser
Rejuvenate/Resurface: Jan Marini Skin Research Factor A Plus Cream
Hydrate: Jan Marini Skin Research Age Intervention Peptide Extreme

Erase also recommends once or twice a week the Age Intervention Regeneration Mask, perfect for Rosacea management, has anti-inflammatory and re-building properties.

,b>Barbara Wadley was treated for Rosacea at Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists.

When did you first see Rosacea on your face?

Barbara Wadley: I first saw the Rosacea when I was 23, I thought it was because I had come over from England and because of the stress of coming from a different country. I had never had ache either.


When did you find out you had Rosacea?

Barbara Wadley: How I found out was, I went to my GP, for a general check-up and I said to him about my face, it was like I had a butterfly rash on my cheeks, I didn't know what it was from. He suggested I go to Erase. I think that was in 2000. It was diagnosed as Rosacea and it was not as bad at that time.

After a while though, it got bad, I went back in, about 2003, I had to go because it was so bad that the little balls were the size of my little finger nail. This is the 'before' photograph. It was so bad they had to burst some of them to get the blood out. I would also be lying in bed or watching the television and my face would be throbbing, like a pulse. I went and I had six IPL (Intense Pulse Light) treatments. Six is what your normally do. Then it began to clear up. I had another two treatments in 2004, and in that time they had a Demonologist, Kylie, speak to me.


How did having Rosacea affect you?

Barbara Wadley: When it was at its worst, and Kylie spoke to me I was crying, I had my hair long to cover my face and I hated going anywhere. I had a lady in a VET clinic say to me "Oh My! What is wrong with your face? Are you allergic to something?" The lady at the counter just shook her head.

I wouldn't be able to go out, I couldn't have a glass of wine or go somewhere were it might be a bit hot. There was a lot of things I couldn't do. I would go out and I wouldn't like getting my photo taken because I would be looking at this big, great, red face.

You cannot cover Rosacea either, face make-up makes it worse. I also worked with people with a disability and they would ask "What is wrong, with your face Barb?" I was already feeling bad as it was and then I was being asked about it constantly. I would sometimes lay in bed awake because I couldn't sleep as my face would be throbbing.


What happened next with your treatment?

Barbara Wadley: I began having the treatment, I am having the Jan Marini treatment. I started going every six weeks. I would go and have the treatment and have the photographs. My husband made jokes too, which helped me, he was great.


Was the treatment painful at all?

Barbara Wadley: No. I am not scarred either, that is something that they cannot get over because normally when people have had it as bad as I had it, there is scarring. They said that you could be scarred for life.

Kylie also suggested I have a Zinc tablet, once a day. Which I have also told others that have said they have Rosacea.


How did having the treatment make you feel?

Barbara Wadley: I was a hairdresser which meant I was an outgoing person. But with Rosacea when I would meet new people I would be worried if they were looking at my face or if they could see the redness. I wouldn't be comfortable going places, I also hated getting my photograph taken. I would only see my red face in photos. I started to become depressed and I couldn't send photos to my family in England because I didn't like the way my face looked.

I know that the treatment has given me confidence and a greater self-esteem. I always seemed to have somewhere special to go, and now I feel good doing that, if I have met them before or not. I gained my confidence back, I am now a school crossing lady, I couldn't have done that before.

After the treatment I was able to go to my daughters wedding and feel confident meeting my son-in-laws family and I was able to have photographs taken. I was so glad I didn't have Rosacea anymore as that would have taken the fun out of it.

I am excited about all events now. Especially when I am seeing people that I haven't seen since the treatment, they can see the real me now.


How did Erase help?

Barbara Wadley: They were great. Kylie rang me when I first went, when it was really bad to check up on me. The girls at Erase are great. The staff, even those who didn't treat me were wonderful. They would be positive, they would say "Oh Barb! That looks fantastic", it would make you feel better by encouraging.

One of the most important things about my treatment was the staff, I've seen it a lot there. Not just anyone can work there, you would have to be someone who is caring, compassionate and has that ability to be a confidence booster. For example when Kylie would take a photograph, she would show me and she would be happy. So I would be too.

Erase also gave me a lot of information about Rosacea and I was able to pass that onto people. When a friend was telling me about her husbands nose I passed it on to her because it sounded familiar, and he had Rosacea on his nose.

I was there one time and another lady was there she said to me "Oh look, I thought it would be better by now." I didn't think she was that bad, but I asked for my file to be brought out so she could see how I had changed. She couldn't believe that it was me, her mouth opened in shock.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I have my three years all clear now, but Erase also helped me through that, even with all that my face was affected and it helped going to Erase and having the relaxing treatment and seeing the results, it was all helpful and great. My face would flare up a little during this time because of stress. But Erase was great and it helped me in so many ways.

I also find that at Christmas my face may be a little bit worse because I will go out and had a few wines, that flares it up a little, but I then I just have to be careful and be very strict with my Jan Marini products.

I have sent people to Erase because I am so happy with them. Whilst the treatment on my face was being done, I was also being massaged, hand massages and that. The products are good, they are costly, but you don't have to use a lot which is very good. The benefits have been amazing.


Interviews by Brooke Hunter