Rosacea

Rosacea is a common skin condition that causes red face. It starts in young adults, with flushing that flares up following exercise, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and consumption of spicy food. It becomes permanent with time, causing redness on the medial cheeks, nose, and at times the eyelids.  

Rosacea is very common in Australia due to the fair skin complexion of the population and the high UV exposure. It is believed that rosacea is caused by an overactive inflammatory reaction in the facial skin area. The cause for this inflammation is not completely understood, and can be secondary to mites or bacteria that we have on our face, UV exposure or an overactive immune system.

Rosacea has several types. The first is dominated by redness of the medial face, chin, medial forehead and nose. In this type, multiple small blood vessels can be noticed with a magnifying glass in the involved skin. In the second, “pimples” develop on the background of the redness. The third type is characterized by thick and bumpy skin, which usually appears on the nose, mostly in male patients. The fourth type affects the eyes (ocular rosacea) with blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid).

When treating rosacea, Dr. Sagi takes into consideration the different causes of the condition and addresses each with his treatments. The treatments include topical creams, tablets and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or vascular laser treatments, that selectively “burn” the blood vessels and cause them to disappear.