Rosacea

What is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic facial skin ailment which typically begins around 30 years of age. Affected individuals will experience intermittent swelling and redness around the cheeks, chin, nose, eyes and forehead. In severe cases, the rashes will spread to the neck, chest, scalp, ears, and even into the eyes. These flushes will come and go, often relapsing after what seems to be a natural recovery.

 Signs and Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of Rosacea include:

• Intermittent facial flushing, becoming more persistent as time passes.
• Visible facial blood vessels
• Bumps and pimples on the skin
• Raised red patches on the skin
• Skin thickening
• Burning and stinging sensation

What causes Rosacea?

The exact causes of Rosacea are currently undetermined. It may be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, these outbreaks have several known triggers:

• Alcoholic drinks
• Spicy food
• Hot drinks and soup
• Foods which contain the compound cinnamaldehyde, such as cinnamon, tomatoes, chocolate, and citrus
• Certain skin mites like demodex

Laser Treatment for Rosacea

Currently, there are no known methods to permanently treat Rosacea. Nevertheless, laser treatment can effectively alleviate the unsightly signs and symptoms. These laser treatments work by specifically targeting certain blood vessels and other tissues in the skin, causing them to collapse. This effectively reduces the “veiny” look, redness and swelling caused by Rosacea.VBeam Laser Treatment

VBeam Laser is a type of pulsed-dye laser, where the laser used is emitted in pulses, and a dye is used to generate the colour of the laser used in the treatment. It uses a 595nm laser, which is a slightly higher wavelength compared to Pro Yellow Laser. VBeam laser has been used by dermatologists and plastic surgeons since the 1980s and has constantly undergone improvement by researchers and engineers even up till today.  It is currently used to treat Rosacea symptoms, removing birthmarks like port wine stains, stretch marks, as well as several other skin blemishes and ailments. It is also suitable as an acne laser treatment to reduce stubborn acne scars and rejuvenate the skin.

Having been used by dermatologists and plastic surgeons worldwide to treat Rosacea and similar vascular skin ailments since the 1980s, VBeam Laser Treatment has an almost 40-year history of research and clinical cases in the trade. It is no doubt that VBeam Laser is reliable and effective at what it does. Moreover, VBeam Laser can also be used to remove port-wine stains and unsightly birthmarks in infants and young children, who have delicate skin. This further substantiates how safe VBeam Laser is in dermatology treatment.

Pro Yellow Laser Treatment

The Pro Yellow Laser is a High-powered Optically Pumped Semiconductor Laser (HOPSL), which uses a pulsed, 577nm yellow laser. It is relatively new on the market, having debuted in 2014.

Having made its debut in 2014, Pro Yellow Laser has seen about 6 years on the market. Some preliminary research has shown that Pro Yellow Laser may sounds promising, but 6 years is still a relatively short time as compared VBeam Laser’s strong 40-year foundation. Research on certain aspects of Pro Yellow Laser, such as long-term side effects are still lacking.

Conclusion

Summary of differences

– Used by dermatologists since 1980s, have almost 40 years of research and successful clinical cases.- Data from research and clinical cases are constantly used to improve the treatment.

Comparing the above, it is clear that VBeam Laser is much more reliable, and much safer in treating Rosacea and other related symptoms.

Our doctors are highly experienced and skilled in using the VBeam Laser to treat Rosacea symptoms and other skin conditions such as stretch marks and acne. As an acne treatment, it targets the blood vessels that are causing redness and discolouration in acne scars, and destroy acne bacteria to tackle active acne.

Hence, rest assured that they will understand the needs of each patient and provide the most suitable treatment.

FAQ

Is there any downtime for VBeam Laser treatment?

Mild redness and swelling can be expected immediately post-treatment, but these will usually subside in a few hours. The intensity of the laser can be adjusted to cater for individuals with more sensitive skin, or to increase the intensity of the treatment if needed.

Patients can typically apply cosmetic products and resume daily activities immediately after. However, it is advised to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight for a few days.

How long does VBeam Laser treatment last?

Each VBeam session is expected to last from 20 to 30 minutes.

Are there any side effects?

Some redness or flushing and swelling may occur, but it will resolve within a few hours after treatment. Bruising may occur as well but will typically resolve within a few days.

How many treatment sessions are needed?

The number of treatments will depend several factors:

• Size of treatment area
• Desired degree of improvement
• Hormonal conditions of the patient
• Pre-medication

2-4 sessions may be required for mild cases, while severe cases may require 6 or more sessions for optimal results.

Alternatively, patients can combine VBeam Laser treatment with Bellasonic Ultrasound therapy for enhanced results.