Rosacea, Winter 2014 Newsletter

With the winter months upon us, many patients with rosacea often experience flares from the cold weather. Rosacea is a skin condition seen most often in adults ages 30 to 60 that causes redness and raised, red bumps on the face. Symptoms include redness, blushing, tiny swollen blood vessels on the skin, and a red, swollen nose. Rosacea symptoms often cycle between well controlled and flare ups, which are usually triggered by eating hot or spicy foods, drinking alcohol, being too hot or cold, sunlight, and stress. At Advanced Dermatology we offer a multi-disciplinary rosacea treatment plan to help control these symptoms and prevent unwanted flare-ups. We use many topical and oral medications, as well as gentle skincare products, to treat rosacea. We also offer the Vbeam^® Perfecta, a 595nm pulsed dye laser, used to target generalized redness and small vessels with minimal down-time.

Facial redness is one of the most frustrating symptoms associated with the condition. This fall, the FDA approved MIRVASO^® (brimonidine) 0.33% topical gel, which is the first and only FDA-approved treatment developed and indicated for persistent facial redness of rosacea. In as little as 30 minutes, patients see their redness fade for up to 12 hours after applying the topical cream. Other products to reduce redness include SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer ($69.50), mybody^TM Beat the Rush ($89.25) and Pyratine-6 Cream or Lotion ($130), all available at our specialty skincare boutique, skinfo^® as well as on skinfo.com. SkinCeuticals Redness Neutralizer, used only 1-2 times per week, offers a combination of peptides and natural active ingredients to help alleviate redness, flushing, and discomfort. Beat the Rush by mybody^TM is a skin-calming and skin-regenerating serum that helps to reduce redness and itching and inhibits the primary mechanisms that cause inflammation, irritation, and blotchiness associated with rosacea. Pyratine-6 helps smooth and brighten the skin, reduces facial redness, corrects visible signs of aging and clarifies skin tone.

We also recommend many lifestyle changes to help control your symptoms and prevent flare-ups. It is essential to avoid the common triggers noted above. Wear zinc oxide-based sunscreen daily and use a mild, unscented facial cleanser. Skincare products should avoid fragrance, retinol, or other ingredients that could irritate your skin. We recommend skinfo^® Vita Lite Protect Sunscreen SPF 50+ ($30) and skinfo^® Vital Tea Cleanser ($30), which are both available at skinfo^®.