What Every Patient Needs to Know About Rosacea

When it comes to rosacea treatment in Salem, OR, our team at Valley View Dermatology understands that patients have a lot of questions about the condition and what they can do to help restore their skin to a more natural-looking state.

Rosacea is a common skin condition that causes visible blood vessels and redness to appear on a patient’s face. The condition may also cause the development of tiny, red, pus-filled bumps on a patient’s face.

For many patients seeking rosacea treatment in Salem, OR, the unpredictability of the condition makes rosacea particularly maddening. Patients can go weeks if not months between flare ups, with little warning or reason before their next outbreak.

While rosacea can affect nearly anyone, the condition most commonly impacts middle-aged women with lighter skin tones. Unfortunately, no cure exists for the condition, but treatment can help patients reduce and control the signs and symptoms of rosacea.

To give you a better idea whether rosacea treatment in Salem, OR is right for you, let’s take a look at a few common questions our patients at Valley View Dermatology have about rosacea.

How Can I Tell if I have Rosacea?

To the untrained eye, it can be difficult to differentiate rosacea from regular acne. To diagnose rosacea, one of our dermatologists will need to examine your facial skin. If enlarged blood vessels are visible, a patient’s condition is rosacea and not a routine acne breakout. It’s important for patients with rosacea to receive an early diagnosis and begin treatment as that will help to prevent the condition from becoming worse or from developing more frequently.

What are My Treatment Options?

Since no cure currently exists for rosacea, the primary goal of treatment is to reduce redness, skin flare ups, and inflammation. The best strategy for controlling rosacea is to avoid triggers, any factor that causes the skin to flush.

The most common triggers for flushed skin are sun exposure, extremely hot or cold weather, excessive alcohol consumption, spicy foods, very hot foods, stress, and intensive exercise. Some types of prescription medications may also cause flushing to develop.

To better identify your triggers, try keeping notes on when symptoms start to appear, what you were doing, what environmental factors may have contributed, and what you think may have brought on your outbreak. Then discuss your notes with our dermatologist.

Practicing quality skin care at home can also help reduce flare ups. Use mild skin cleansers and high-quality, moisturizers and oil-free cosmetics to reduce irritation. Also, make sure to wear a sunscreen on your face whenever heading outside as sunlight may trigger a flare up.

If none of these measures produce results, long-term treatments with oral antibiotics have been shown effective at controlling flare ups. With most patients, it could take several months before any noticeable results are achieved.

In extremely advanced cases, laser surgery may be used to eliminate any visible blood vessels.

When Should I See a Doctor?

If you experience only mild rosacea, you may not even need to see a specialist or talk with your doctor about the condition. However, if you’ve never received a rosacea diagnosis, there are a few warning signs you should keep an eye out for that include:

• Facial redness. If you’ve suddenly developed persistent facial redness, you need to get checked out by a doctor to determine the cause of the problem.
• Pimples, bumps, or visible blood vessels. Significant changes to the health of your skin should always get examined by a doctor. If your skin starts to develop bumps, pimples, or visible blood vessels, don’t just assume an acne breakout has occurred.
• The condition of your skin is causing embarrassment or anxiety. It’s normal for patients with rosacea to feel a little self-conscious about their appearance. If you’re concerned about your appearance or tired of not getting the results you hoped from over-the-counter options, you may need to see a skin care professional.
• You have itchy eyes. Many patients with rosacea report having dry, itchy, and even painfully bloodshot eyes. Your eyelids may even become dry and itchy. If left untreated, these types of symptoms can cause lasting damage to your eye.

 

If you have experienced any of the conditions listed above, contact our team at Valley View Dermatology to explore what rosacea treatment in Salem, OR options may be right for you.