A nice high level discussion about laser + IPL treatments and rosacea. Also contains some some good comments about experienced doctors, insurance, reasonable expectations and those who should not undergo such treatments.
The web site is from the American Academy of Dermatology and sponsored by Intendis, the makers of Finacea.
Is laser treatment right for your rosacea?.
Dermatologists have been using lasers since the mid-1980s to treat rosacea. Today, an ever-increasing number of lasers and a non-laser light therapy called intense pulsed light (IPL) are available for treating rosacea.
Despite years of use and significant technological advances, data on the effectiveness and safety of these products is limited. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies laser and light therapies as procedures, so stringent, long-term studies are not required. Most of what is known comes from observations made by dermatologists while treating individual patients.
Recently, a few studies investigated the effectiveness and potential side effects of using lasers and IPL to treat rosacea.
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Laser and light therapy could become a preferred treatment option for the redness, flushing, and dilated blood vessels of rosacea. Benefits include few short-term side effects, no downtime with many products, and some long-lasting results.
However, more research is needed to determine the long-term side effects and optimal use of the different laser and light therapies. If you believe that a laser or light therapy may be the right choice for treating your rosacea, be sure to discuss this treatment option with your dermatologist.
- Rosacea News: IPL is excellent for rosacea
- Rosacea News: treating rosacea with intense pulsed light (IPL)
- Rosacea News: 40 years of lasers in dermatology
- Rosacea News: pulse dye laser improves erythema
- Rosacea News: Measuring Erythema (red face) after IPL
