Is Rosacea Laser Treatment Safe?

Dermatologists have been using lasers since the mid-1980s for the treatment of rosacea. Today will be referred to as a growing number of lasers and a non-laser light therapy, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for treatment of rosacea are available.

Despite years of use and significant technological progress, data on the efficacy and safety of these products is limited. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies laser and light therapies, such as procedures, so severe, long-term studies are not required. Most of what is known comes from observations made by dermatologists in the treatment of individual patients.

Recently, a few studies, the effectiveness and potential side effects of the use of lasers and IPL investigated to treat rosacea. Here are the results along with some general information about these devices.

Laser
Today, lasers are used to treat these signs of rosacea to:

* Enlarged blood vessels
* Persistent redness
* Thickening of the skin on the nose and cheeks (also known as rhinophyma)

The pulsed dye laser (PDL) has been used for years to treat the flushing and visible blood vessels of rosacea too. Recently, a study looked at the impact of treatment of 16 patients with one or more of these symptoms of Rosacea - redness, persistent redness and visible blood vessels.

After only one treatment each patient in the study experienced significantly improved. With two treatments, redness, decreased by 40% to 60%. Patients also reported reductions in redness, burning, itching, dryness, swelling and tenderness, who said significant improvements in their quality of life. Side effects included crusting and dark patches of skin on the treated areas. These effects were successfully treated. All improvements were maintained from one treatment to another.

This study also showed that increases the effectiveness of pulsed dye laser, if temporarily causes bruising, which can last for 1 to 2 weeks. While bruise-free treatment to some of the newer pulsed dye lasers possible, researchers concluded that inducing bruising leads to a consistent reduction in redness and other symptoms such as burning and itching. The researchers are convinced that induce bruising enhance effectiveness. They also realize that this may not be acceptable for some patients.1

Other lasers used to treat visible blood vessels on the KTP laser, diode laser and Nd: YAG lasers. These lasers are less likely to cause bruising. Everyone is used to treat single, large, visible blood vessels. The results show that these lasers may not be effective in reducing the redness as pulsed dye laser.

In some patients with long-standing rosacea develop thickening of the skin on the nose and cheeks, which will be called Rhinophyma. The CO2 laser and Erbium: YAG laser can be used to remove the thickening of the skin and improve the contour of the nose. Other surgical interventions used to treat this condition are dermabrasion and excision with a scalpel. Treatment options can be combined to achieve best results.

Dermatologists recommend early treatment of rhinophyma prevent, treat the condition of progress and always difficult. In the advanced stage Rhinophyma can cause difficulty breathing through the nose. It is also possible that the nostrils collapse.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
A newer form of therapy using IPL is a non-laser light. The first IPL product won FDA approval in 1995 for the treatment of enlarged blood vessels in his face. Since then, several other products have been authorized. Recent studies conclude that IPL can safely and effectively reduce the following signs of rosacea in some patients:

* Enlarged blood vessels
* Persistent redness
* Flushing
* Acne-like eruptions

To investigate the safety and efficacy, four patients with enlarged blood vessels and persistent redness received five IPL treatments, which were given at three-week intervals. Patients averaged a 30% drop in blood flow, a 29% reduction in visible blood vessels, and a 21% decrease in redness.2 Since only four patients were evaluated, these numbers can not predict how people with rosacea tends to reflect . Some believe that dermatologists, IPL is more effective than these figures indicate.

Another study examined the effects of IPL treatment on the persistent redness, flushing, and breakouts associated with rosacea. In this study, 32 patients received one to seven IPL treatments. After treatment, 83% experienced reduced redness, 75% had less said flushing and improved skin texture and 64% less acne-like breakouts.3

Since the above studies suggest, IPL is not effective for everyone. Note, however, most patients had some reduction of the enlarged blood vessels and redness after only one or two treatments. Brief in a case of a patient response to a normal level decreased. IPL side effects are temporary and include redness, swelling, bruising, and skin lightening.