Rosacea
Rosacea affects all skin types but is more common in fair skinned individuals. It is estimated that currently about 14 million individuals in US suffer from this condition. It affects both men and women and most commonly starts after the age of 30. The exact cause of rosacea still remains not well understood.
Classic rosacea is characterized by redness of the central face that has lasts for months or longer. Other characteristic locations are curves of the nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. The color redness is commonly due to flushing and small dilated veins (telangiectasias).
Some of the commonly known triggers include hot or cold temperature, sunlight, wind, hot drinks, exercise, spicy food, alcohol, emotions, cosmetics, topical irritants, menopausal flushing, and medications that promote flushing. Treatment is often aimed at controlling the triggers.
How is it treated?
The common treatment modalities include prescription only daily topical therapy. It is very time consuming and burdensome to young and busy professionals and everyone is looking for a faster solution and it is available.
Drug companies advertise daily lifelong therapy duration to keep people on the loop and keep the permanent solutions with lasers hidden from the general public.
Daily therapy is also not without its side effects, like loss of skin elasticity, skin hyper or hypo pigmentation, dryness and even more irritated skin, which forces people to use heavy make up products to cover up, increasing the cost of consumables.
How much does it cost?
The cost of the treatment is based on the severity of rosacea as well as the location as the number of treatment varies as well. It typically takes anywhere from 2-4 completely pain-free treatment to achieve complete resolution or to at least attain remission for a few years from daily therapy slavery.
If one calculates the cost of insurance premiums, co payment amount, lost time spent in the doctor’s office waiting and then having to go to the pharmacy to get a generic brand of the prescribed product, not to mention expense of a moisturizer and great make up concealer and foundation, the cost becomes significant, and that’s what insurance companies don’t want you to know.
The cost of a simple and effective laser treatment is marginal to the amount of time and money saved if you were using lifelong treatment therapy.
What can Dr. Avaliani offer?
The treatment is fully customized based on the location and severity of rosacea in an individual.