Rosacea, Flushing & Redness

The papules and pustules symptomatic of rosacea may respond quickly to prescription medications, but the redness and flushing are less likely to improve without other types of therapies. Rosacea is a chronic condition and requires ongoing management following treatment. Many patients find it helpful to avoid certain “triggers” such as sun exposure, certain foods, or alcohol, and to follow an effective skin care regimen including sunblock, gentle cleansing, and moisturizing.

Pricing for rosacea treatment varies by the technology used, and overall cost of treatment will vary by the severity of your symptoms and the number of treatments you require. However, the range of cost per treatment session for the targeted treatments above typically ranges from $250-$450, depending on the technologies used and the size of the area treated, with one exception – CO2 Laser skin resurfacing (generally used only in the most severe cases) is much more expensive, at $2500 or more per treatment. The tradeoff is that this laser provides a very substantial improvement for the most severe cases of rosacea in a single treatment. Your complimentary rosacea consultation will include an exact price quote and a detailed treatment plan.

When it comes to downtime for rosacea treatment, we have to clarify what that means. In terms of taking time off from work or social events, almost all of these treatments have no downtime whatsoever (except the CO2 Laser treatments which are really reserved for the most severe cases). MicroBotox, Skin Classic, IPL, GentleYag, and Vbeam Perfecta, the most commonly used rosacea treatments, can leave some redness for a few hours and while your skin is red and sensitive, so we ask that you not reapply makeup or skincare products. However, that redness is almost always gone after an hour or two. PDT can vary in intensity based on the needs of the individual patient, but usually, redness does not persist after 24 hours of our rosacea treatments. You can find much more detailed information about the downtime of each of these treatments by clicking on their titles above and visiting their information pages on our website.

Every patient is different. The severity and type of rosacea varies by patient, as does the individual’s triggers and response to certain treatments. This is why treating rosacea effectively can take some trial-and-error, even with the best physicians. Our physicians have experience working with patients who are resistant to standard treatment protocols, and that means we have the most knowledge about how to remove redness and prevent flare-ups in patients who have failed with prescription medications, dietary changes, and other at-home remedies. We do recommend patients try these options, which are generally covered by insurance, before coming to see us for Botox, lasers, and other treatment options that are not covered by health insurance. That having been said, the best treatment for your rosacea is going to be unique to you and that’s why our consultations are complimentary because we believe every patient has the right to the information they need in order to make the best choices about their treatment and care.

It’s unlikely your flare-ups will resolve without interventional treatment, but once you have cleared up any flare-ups, it’s important you work to prevent future flare-ups, and that can be done through the treatment of your rosacea at home with: Wearing sunscreen (sunlight is a trigger for many, and sunburn is certainly going to create more broken blood vessels and red spots) Avoiding triggers like red wine, certain skincare products (that produce a stinging sensation), and anything that causes your skin to flush Using any and all prescribed treatments consistently If you are dealing with a current flare-up, please contact us. We can help you develop a plan to reduce your current symptoms and help you maintain those results.

This is very common because those red spider veins are broken capillaries, and they are too deep and too big to be treated by anything other than a laser or radiofrequency treatment (i.e. they’re not able to be treated by your medications or skincare). For those, generally, we use Vbeam, which is a pulse-dyed laser that is specifically attracted to red pigment. It works very well to permanently remove these visible blood vessels (telangiectasia). Most can be removed in a single treatment, but some bigger vessels will require a few treatments to completely remove. We can give you an idea of what the treatment plan will look like for you during your free consultation with the doctor. The good news is Vbeam laser is very affordable and produces substantial results for rosacea sufferers.