Reduce Persistent Facial Flushing and Swelling in Denver

Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition. People who live with this disorder are prone to facial flushing, which may be associated with prominent red vessels (especially in the central face, nose, cheeks, and chin), skin irritation, spider veins, and acne-like bumps. The AboutSkin Dermatology medical dermatology team regularly diagnoses and treats rosacea at their Denver-based practice, with locations in Greenwood Village and Lone Tree, Colorado.

The cause of rosacea is not well understood, but increased blood vessel changes, microscopic skin mites known as Demodex folliculorum, and various immune and nervous system reactions to environmental stimuli may play a role in the condition. Patients are encouraged to treat symptoms early, as they can worsen in severity over time. While there is no known cure for the condition, being aware of what triggers breakouts and making appropriate lifestyle changes can provide relief. Common triggers include heat, spicy foods, stress, warm beverages, alcohol, and sunlight.

As for treatment, pulsed dye laser (PDL) is the first-line option to help reduce facial redness and spider veins—and often a series of these no-significant-downtime sessions is performed. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), such as MaxG and BBL, is a second-line treatment option that can help address the rosacea redness/vessels and also help treat sun spots or freckling in the same region. Similarly, a series of these no-significant-downtime sessions is performed. Non-ablative fractional lasers (such as 1540 & HALO) can also help improve facial redness as well. These are very well-tolerated treatment options with high patient satisfaction. Aside from treating the redness with lasers, for patients with pimple-like lesions, a variety of topical products and/or oral medications can help minimize these breakouts.