Dec 4, 2008 7:00 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Laser Treatment For Rosacea
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
It's a skin condition that affects 45 million people, and is often misdiagnosed for years.
Right when people reach their 20s and feel like adolescent acne should be over, millions of people are hit with another condition that looks a lot like it.
It's called rosacea, and even though it can be tough to diagnose, it's becoming increasingly easy to treat.
"Over the years, people had commented – typically, that I was out in the sun too long," patient Michael J. Panella said. "Or they would say, 'you look like you're wind-burned.' "
Panella's cheeks and nose were constantly flushed and painful, and offhand comments just added to the sting.
"You just play it off, and you just politely fail to respond," Panella said.
Panella suffers from rosacea, a common skin condition that affects one in 20 Americans.
"It affects women and guys," cosmetic laser surgeon Dr. Mitchell Chasin said. "It crosses all heritages, all races, all socioeconomic status."
Rosacea shows up in the 20s or 30s as a flushed face with bumps around the cheeks, nose, mouth and forehead, and is sometimes confused with acne.
Dr. Chasin, an expert in rosacea treatment, says it's not just a physical ailment, but a psychological one as well.
"In certain individuals, it prevents them from having relationships, it interferes with their social life, it impedes their performance at work," Chasin said.
No one knows what causes rosacea, but it tends to run in families.
When prescription creams and medications don't work, laser therapy is becoming more effective than ever.
"With a combination of laser therapies that may include the VBeam pulsed dye laser, the StarLux intense pulsed light system, and YAG lasers, we can decrease the dilated blood vessels on the surface of the skin," Chasin said.
The treatments are done once a month for 3-6 months, and then patients come in for touch-ups once a year.
Panella's results were dramatic, and he's got a word of advice for others who may be considering the laser therapy.
"Go! I'm telling you, go," Panella says. "Go. It's just, it's a no brainer."
Symptoms of rosacea can be triggered by activities and environment, including exercise, sun and wind exposure, and hot weather.
Avoiding alcohol and spicy foods may also help to minimize the appearance of the rash.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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