Rosacea often shows up as persistent redness that doesn’t quite behave like a blush or a breakout. It can come and go, flare unexpectedly, or slowly become more noticeable over time.
For many people, rosacea is frustrating because it’s unpredictable. It’s also very common, and while it’s a chronic condition, there are ways to manage its appearance and reduce flare-ups with the right approach.
Chronic inflammatory skin condition
Cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, eyes
Reduced redness, calmer skin, fewer flare-ups
What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that primarily affects the face. It most often appears on the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead and can vary widely from person to person.
Common signs of rosacea include:
Rosacea may also affect the eyes (ocular rosacea), causing dryness, irritation, and redness.
In more advanced cases, rosacea can cause significant thickening of the skin on the nose, leading to a bulbous appearance. This is called rhinophyma.
Rosacea is not acne, though it can sometimes look similar. It also isn’t caused by poor hygiene or skincare mistakes.
Why Rosacea Develops
The exact cause of rosacea isn’t fully understood, but it’s believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Who is most affected: Rosacea tends to affect women more than men, typically between the ages of 30 and 50, and is more common in people with fair skin.
Known triggers that can flare rosacea:
Over time, repeated flushing can lead to more permanent redness and visible blood vessels, similar to what’s seen with spider veins or broken capillaries on the face.
There is no cure for rosacea, but there are effective treatment options available. Managing the condition starts with identifying and avoiding your personal triggers.
How Rosacea Can Affect Appearance and Comfort
Rosacea affects more than just how the skin looks. It can impact daily comfort and confidence.
Patients often mention:
These concerns are very real. Managing rosacea is about calming the skin and supporting its barrier — not aggressively treating it.
What to Expect During a Consultation
A consultation at Lazaderm is designed to be thoughtful and supportive.
During your visit, your provider will:
The goal is to create a plan that helps your skin feel calmer and look more even over time.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Rosacea management is ongoing, not one-time.
Treatments can significantly improve redness and skin appearance, but there is no cure. Maintenance is often needed to sustain results, and flare-ups may still occur, especially if triggers aren’t avoided.
Results vary based on:
Your provider will help you understand what kind of improvement is realistic and how to maintain results safely over time.
While rosacea can’t be cured, treatments can help reduce redness, visible vessels, and flare-ups. A consultation allows your provider to evaluate your skin, identify triggers, and recommend appropriate options. Treatment often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, skincare, and in-office procedures.
Managing rosacea starts with avoiding triggers and protecting your skin from the sun.
Sun avoidance:
Sunscreen: It’s very important to wear sunblock daily. Look for gentle, mineral-based formulas that won’t irritate sensitive skin. EltaMD sunblocks are recommended for rosacea-prone skin.
Gentle cleansers: Stronger, more drying cleansers can flare rosacea. Use gentle, fragrance-free cleansers designed for sensitive skin.
Trigger avoidance: Keep track of what triggers your flare-ups (alcohol, hot drinks, spicy foods, temperature extremes, stress) and minimize exposure when possible.
There are many prescription options available for rosacea. Like acne, finding the best treatment often requires working with your provider to identify what works for your individual skin.
Topical medications:
Mirvaso (brimonidine) — Helps temporarily decrease the size of blood vessels and reduce redness.
Metronidazole — Helps reduce redness and decreases the number of pustules.
Azelaic acid — May help reduce inflammatory lesions and redness.
Oral medications:
Doxycycline — An oral antibiotic that may help reduce pustules in moderate to severe rosacea.
Your provider will recommend the most appropriate medications based on your symptoms and rosacea type.
BBL is highly effective for treating the facial redness associated with rosacea.
How it works: Light energy targets the blood vessels and redness in the skin, helping to reduce persistent flushing and visible vessels.
Treatment protocol:
BBL is well-suited for rosacea because it can address both diffuse redness and individual visible vessels.
Radiofrequency energy can help address both visible vessels and overall skin flushing.
Ellman Surgitron — Spider veins on the face can be individually treated using this precise radiofrequency device.
Vivace RF Microneedling — Showing promise for the treatment of flushing, redness, and telangiectasias (small visible blood vessels). Combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy to improve skin quality.
These treatments can complement other rosacea therapies for enhanced results.
Multiple lasers can effectively treat the facial veins associated with rosacea.
Cutera 1064nm Laser — Can be used to treat individually visible blood vessels. It can also address overall flushing using a technique called Laser Genesis, which heats the skin gently to reduce redness and improve tone.
Benefits:
Multiple sessions may be recommended for optimal results, and maintenance treatments help sustain improvement.
For patients with rhinophyma (thickened skin on the nose caused by advanced rosacea), ablative lasers can help restore a more normal appearance.
Sciton Erbium Laser — Can be used to carefully reduce the thickness of skin associated with rhinophyma. This ablative laser removes excess tissue layer by layer with precision.
What to expect:
This treatment is reserved for patients with significant skin thickening and is discussed during consultation.
If facial redness or rosacea has been something you’re dealing with, a consultation can help you better understand your options. At Lazaderm, consultations focus on education, skin health, and helping you feel comfortable with your care plan.
