Skin Tips
Improving The Appearance of Rosacea: My IPL Experience
I’ve been affected by Rosacea for several years, experiencing facial redness, blotchy cheeks, small pus-filled spots and the development of thread veins.
Despite using gentle skincare products, being careful not to make my skin too greasy and avoiding known triggers where possible, my symptoms seem to remain a permanent feature.
Contacting Prema
Having rosacea has made me feel self-conscious about the appearance of my skin. Every day I try to conceal the condition by applying make-up to cover the redness and help even my skin tone, and I won’t go out if I haven’t done this.
I’d read about rosacea on Prema’s website, and realised that I might need some extra help from a trained skincare expert to help alleviate the visible signs of this condition and reduce its appearance.
I contacted the clinic and spoke to Tricia, a lovely lady who asked me to attend a consultation where she could analyse my skin and assess the condition. She suggested that IPL would help to calm areas of inflammation and get rid of the thread veins on my cheeks and around my nose, reducing overall facial redness.
Day of Treatment
The IPL treatment was fully explained before going ahead, and I didn’t need to have any anaesthesia applied. I was made very comfortable on the treatment bed, and eye guards were applied as it was explained the light can be very bright.
My practitioner (Tricia) was very reassuring and talked me through the entire process, counting down so I knew when to expect the laser application. Every ‘shot’ was quick, and felt like a flick on the skin. Trisha moved through the different regions of my face, breaking every now and then to ensure I was comfortable.
The treatment was completed with an application of a healing serum, followed by SPF. This would help to soothe and protect my skin, as Tricia explained it would be a little more sensitive than usual. After having aftercare reiterated, I was able to leave the clinic and continue with my day.
Benefits of IPL for Rosacea
1 – No downtime:
Having IPL did not entail any recovery time, and I was able to carry on with my usual daily tasks, and working.
2 – Minimal side effects:
Enhanced skin sensitivity was the main side effect to address; particularly when exposing the skin to UV rays / the sun. As it is still winter UV levels are low, but I still made sure I applied a high SPF twice a day for the first 2 days, then continued with my skincare routine as normal from day 3. I did not experience any significant tenderness following the treatment.
3 – Noticeable results after the first treatment session:
So far I have only attended my first session, and already I’m noticing an improvement. My cheeks seem to be less red and blotchy, and the thread veins around my nose have gone. I was told the veins on my cheeks were a little deeper, and may go when I’m further down the treatment line.
4 – Long term results:
For me, Tricia advised a course of 4 treatment sessions, which would be spaced 4 weeks apart. She also recommended some skincare products to use in an on-going skincare regime which would work alongside the IPL treatment to improve the skin’s condition, and maintain longer-lasting results. Trisha advised maintenance IPL sessions as required
After My Treatment
I was able to drive home as soon as I felt comfortable. However, before I left Tricia advised not to have a particularly hot shower or bath that evening. She also explained my complexion would continue to be sensitive to UV rays for the next couple of days, so I would need to apply a high SPF to my skin. This would be even more important than other skincare products. I was also advised to avoid make-up for a couple of days too, and refrain from picking at any crusts that may appear.
