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Seeing Red? Calm and Correct Rosacea Now

March 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Rosacea’s a stealthy opponent. It strikes when you least expect it. You’re going about your day without a care in the world, when it attacks. First it’s warm cheeks. Then a flush creeps into your complexion. After that you’re scrambling to put out the crimson fire that’s hijacked your face with secondary problems like broken blood vessels, bumps, and thickened skin.

Chronic redness along with these other skin irritations make rosacea a difficult skin condition to manage.

But don’t let rosacea get you down. With April being National Rosacea Awareness Month, BodyLase brings you information on the latest advances in rosacea research. Lasers facials and IPL treatments are marked as an effective way to manage and clear away rosacea.

Don’t let it ruin your chance at beautiful skin. Here’s how.

The Battle of Rosacea

A network of capillaries covers your face delivering blood, oxygen and nutrients. With rosacea those facial blood vessels dilate easily, resulting in increased blood flow to the skin’s surface.

But rosacea patients don’t just battle simple flushing or chronic redness. Even once redness is controlled with medicine or lifestyle changes, rosacea patients can still struggle with bumps, thickened skin and broken blood vessels galore.

Making matters worse, broken capillaries are typically more prominent after redness has cleared. Like a veil, redness lifts away only to reveal a network of tiny busted veins that have been lurking under your irritated skin all along.

Treat Rosacea with IPL, Laser Facials or Laser Vein Therapy


There are two ways our various laser and light treatments can help.

  • Tackle redness head on. Laser and IPL treatments can defeat the micronetwork of broken and dilated capillaries that are causing your chronic redness and flushing.
  • Erase busted veins. Even after redness has been controlled, some stubborn large broken capillaries like to linger. Laser treatment is especially great at erasing these.

Both laser and IPL treatments utilize the power of light energy. The energy travels deep below where it’s absorbed by hemoglobin, the blood’s pigment within your veins. It’s then converted into heat which collapses your pesky visible veins and seals them off permanently. These veins eventually disintegrate, never to return again.

What are your results? Veins disappear and redness is reduced as your blood flow is correctly redirected to where it should flow in the first place: within hidden veins deep below the skin’s surface.

IPL Treatments for Rosacea

IPL accurately targets surface problems like redness and small broken veins. Utilizing a broadband of light, IPL combats a range of surface skin problems including tiny veins, general redness, blotchy skin tone and other types of hyper-pigmentation, such as sun spots and age spots. With IPL treatments you can free yourself from the constraints of rosacea by reducing the appearance of thin broken capillaries, easing chronic redness and flushing, and smoothing out your complexion.

Laser Facial for Rosacea

Laser facial uses a narrow light spectrum to eliminate problems below and on the surface of your skin. You’ll see an overall reduction of redness and blotchiness, which results in smooth, creamy skin. While the pigmentation problems on the surface of your skin are resolved, deep down your dermis is improved structurally as new collagen is encouraged to form. As a result you’ll also enjoy textural smoothness. Overall, laser facials are ideal for tackling deep-seated chronic redness and broken veins as well as for stimulating collagen production.

Laser Vein Therapy for Rosacea

Laser vein therapy harnesses light energy to wrangle stubborn, prominent broken capillaries around the nose into submission. This is one of our favorite treatments because we often see unsightly veins disappear right before our eyes! After a laser vein therapy session, you might experience some temporary bruising which usually dissipates within a week. The vein itself is often cleared away immediately. With laser vein therapy you can finally free your skin of those pesky red lines.

Chronic redness, flushing, red lines? Do away with it all and win the battle against rosacea. Find out more about rosacea treatments at BodyLase, by scheduling a free consultation.

April Rosacea Special

To help you calm rosacea redness and erase broken veins, we’re offering a Rosacea Special this month. Buy 3 treatments and get one free! Get an IPL package and save $299. Or grab a laser facial package and save $199. Also, you can enjoy our special 2D treatment, which combines both IPL and laser facial in one great all-around rosacea-combatting treatment, and you’ll save $349. Our rosacea special also lets you share with friend! Call us to grab your deal today.

Filed Under: facial treatment, IPL Photofacial Treatment, Laser Facial, Laser Vein Care and Treatment, rosacea Tagged With: , , , , ,

13 Ways to Beat Rosacea

March 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When rosacea attacks, it blitzes in full-force. From every direction. Redness appears because of abnormally increased blood flow to the skin. Raw flushing and bumps develop because of surface irritation. Then all these symptoms are amplified by inflammation. Your skin is assaulted from the inside as well as the outside.

This means your nutrition, your exercise, your sleep, your hormones, your skincare, your environment—everything!—can affect your rosacea.

To defeat rosacea you’ll need a well-rounded strategy that covers many fronts. In honor of National Rosacea Awareness Month, BodyLase has pulled together our best rosacea tips. Stop irritating your delicate skin and find out how to erase redness now.

External Rosacea Triggers

Avoid all external irritants. Though the source of this skin disorder is internal, external factors can greatly irritate your skin. By following some tips you might be able to drastically reduce your rosacea symptoms. Help your skin find freedom from discomfort.

  • Stay out of direct sunlight. Warmth and irritation from the sun’s rays can cause rosacea flares.
  • Humidity can disturb your rosacea. Both excess humidity and extreme dryness are reported irritants for rosacea sufferers. Try avoiding both extremes.
  • Don’t slather on a makeup or skincare product that makes your rosacea worse. Listen to your skin. If it’s telling you that it’s irritated by something, stop using it immediately.

Internal Rosacea Triggers

Many rosacea patients report food triggers. To control and minimize your rosacea symptoms, discover what your own internal triggers are.

  • A diet high in carbohydrates and sugars is a reported to cause rosacea flare-ups. These carbohydrates and sugars can cause large insulin spikes. Excess insulin can lead to inflammation.
  • Foods high in tryptophan or vitamin B3 (like coffees and cereal to name a few) stimulate prostaglandin production, which in turn causes your blood vessels to dilate.
  • Alcohol causes temporary flushing as surface blood vessels dilate. But alcohol can also cause inflammation, which contributes to lingering redness and prolonged irritation.
  • Processed foods and fast foods are filled with unsaturated vegetable oils. These are high in the linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid that is pro-inflammatory. To avoid inflammation, it’s good to avoid foods with linoleic acid.

Rosacea Nutrition

Get to the bottom of your disorder by talking with your doctor or nutritionist about ways you could boost your anti-inflammatory response and your immune system. Avoiding pro-inflammatory nutrients while seeking out anti-inflammatory nutrients is a great start.

  • Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), another type of omega-6 fatty acid, is an anti-inflammatory nutrient unlike it’s pro-inflammatory counterpart linoleic acid. Evening primrose oil and borage oil are a great source of GLA.
  • Vitamin D3 is also identified as an important nutrient in anti-inflammatory responses. It is also said to boost your immune system.

Rosacea Skincare

Skincare is an crucial step of managing and soothing your rosacea. It can make or break your redness. Since everyone’s skin is different, it’s important to learn what products are good for your skin and what products deserve a kick to the curb.

Here are some things to look for: gentle products that don’t irritate or dry out the skin, hydrating products that relieve dryness associated with rosacea, soothing products that can calm inflammation, and camouflaging products that can conceal redness.

The following are our favorite rosacea skincare products:

Obagi Rosaclear System

  • Obagi Metronidazole Gel 0.75% has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties that help calm advanced rosacea-related inflammations, redness and bumps.
  • Obagi Rosaclear Gentle Cleanser is a non-irritating, non-stripping cleanser. It is specially formulated so it will not dry out sensitive skin.
  • Obagi Rosaclear Hydrating Complexion Corrector is a double-duty moisturizer that’s soothes and offers a little redness-coverage. Anti-inflammatory effects are delivered by allantion (extracted from comfrey plants), licorice, aloe, lavender, and sea whip.

Avene Rosacea Products

  • Avene Antirougeurs Anti-Redness Dermo-Cleansing Fluid is a cleanser that’s free of any abrasive cleansing ingredients. It offers a soothing, hydrating clean.
  • Avene Diroseal Anti-Redness Skincare Lotion is a non-irritating moisturizer that includes a green tint to neutralize any redness.

For more information on time-tested rosacea-reducing products and methods, stop by our BodyLase spas in Raleigh-Durham and Cary.

April Rosacea Special

To help you calm rosacea redness and erase broken veins, we’re offering a Rosacea Special this month. Buy 3 treatments and get one free! Get an IPL package and save $299. Or grab a laser facial package and save $199. Also, you can enjoy our special 2D treatment, which combines both IPL and laser facial in one great all-around rosacea-combatting treatment, and you’ll save $349. Our rosacea special also lets you share with friend! Call us to grab your deal today.

Filed Under: healthy diet, Obagi Skin Care, rosacea Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Feast Your Way to Beautiful Skin

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Soon you’ll be feasting away this holiday season, indulging in yummy treats, traditional eats, and those classic homemade specials. But who would think that you could benefit from pre-feasting! By eating right before the holiday season kicks off, you’ll be able to prime and prep your skin. And just in time to show off that flawless glow. Find out what nutrients could help you smooth your complexion this winter.

Tackle Wrinkles

A number of factor play into creating those unsightly creases. And sun exposure hits the top of the list. Photodamage, often not taken so seriously in our youth, is a major factor is forming those funny furrows. So put the brakes down now by giving your body what it needs to fight of the wrinkle-causing free radicals of photodamage. Antioxidants are known to do the trick. Try substituting green tea or white tea for your morning coffee. If you need a stronger caffeine kick than a simple cup of tea, try the Japanese favorite: a full-bodied matcha tea in powder form. You’ll get that super caffeine kick that coffee offers, but the 10 times the antioxidant power of a single cup of normal green tea. Also take vitamin C and vitamin E supplements. The two together have been shown in medical research to play a part in collagen synthesis and protection against oxidative damage.

Even Out Splotchiness


Splotchiness can be genetic and it can be caused by physical factors. But did you know splotchiness can also be caused from the inside? Eating lots of sugar can cause insulin spikes, which in turn gives your skin many problems. Insulin spikes are believed to cause skin inflammations and acne in some. By avoiding sugar kicks and making your that you ingest sugar with or after a balanced meal, you could fend off that skin-damaging insulin spike. For rosacea sufferers, red splotchiness can be caused by other dietary triggers like alcohol and caffeine. Try to detect what food may cause your red splotchy skin and moderate your intake.

Reverse Acne

Like sensitive skin flare-ups, acne breakouts often have triggers too. Some common acne-triggers are high processed foods, greasy meals, and sugary snacks. To help calm your skin, repair it from the inside with healthy nutrients. Kick up your portion of veggies and steer away from the convenience of processed foods, at least until your skin clears. Try making meals wholly from the produce section—where you’ll find all the nutrients your skin needs to heal. To give it an extra boost take vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid), vitamin A, and zinc. While panthothenic acid is known for improving skin quality, vitamin A and zinc are known to calm sebum overproduction.

Heal Dry, Flaky Skin

Many women suffer from dry, flaky skin. In many cases, this could simply be genetic. In other cases, it could be caused by hormonal swings, namely estrogen drops. Estrogen drops occur right before a menstrual period, after childbirth, and throughout menopause. The estrogen drop is a big factor in breakouts and dry skin during these periods. Evening primrose oil is a natural supplement which is a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. Clinical studies have demonstrated GLA helps stabilize hormones at key times, which can help fend off dry skin. Additionally clinical studies have demonstrated a strong link between taking evening primrose oil and an improvement in eczema dryness.

Filed Under: acne, anti-wrinkle, dryness, healthy diet, rosacea Tagged With: , ,

Calm Rosacea Red Now!

March 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

For many with rosacea, maintaining clear skin is a chronic battle. Though rosacea can be tricky to handle, the experts at National Rosacea Society say that with the right medical support and advice, rosacea can be controlled. So this April, in the spirit of Rosacea Awareness Month, here are some tips on controlling this ever-elusive condition.

What is Rosacea?

Professional examination and treatment of rosacea is essential.


Rosacea, a facial skin condition affecting over 16 million Americans, is little understood. Rosacea can manifest as flushing across the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. The redness can also appear in conjunction with dilated, visible capillaries or rash-like patches. In most extreme cases, eyes can become chronically irritated and watery. Affected flushed skin can feel sensitive, dry or sunburned—resulting in a burning or stinging sensation.

Though it’s not harmful to one’s health, rosacea affects the face. And as many might know first-hand, facial problems can be a cause for emotional stress and anxiety. For this reason, National Rosacea Society aims to educate the public about rosacea—emphasizing the importance of professional diagnosis and treatment. “People need to know rosacea is a chronic disorder that can be effectively controlled with medical therapy and lifestyle modifications,” Dr. Odom said. “This can substantially improve the quality of their lives.”

National Rosacea Society reports that 76% of patients say that rosacea negatively affects their confidence and self-esteem, 41% have even confessed to missing work and social engagement because of their appearance. These numbers demonstrate just how important it is to get rosacea under control before it runs rampant and becomes more than cosmetically damaging

Avoiding Triggers


Are you a rosacea patient suffering from the redness, bumps, and sensitized skin? Have you tried avoiding foods, creams, and skin treatments to prevent future flare-ups? Here are some common triggers that rile up redness.

  • Avoid alcohol: approximately 72% of rosacea patients say that red wine is the biggest alcoholic trigger. 31% say that just one drink causes a flare-up, the same percentage say that only half a drink will cause a flare-up, and 15% experience a flare-up after only a sip or two. To find out what other alcoholic beverages trigger a rosacea flare-up, check out the survey review by National Rosacea Society.
  • Control your environment: Other common triggers are environmental extremes. The biting cold or a sharp breeze can trigger flare-ups. To ward off dry, sensitive skin, sunblock and moisturizers are recommended.
  • Don’t get too warm: Some rosacea patients find that a rise in body temperature causes a flare-up. Common problem-makers are extreme indoor heating, hot steamy baths, and saunas.
  • Watch your ingredients: Spicy foods are common trigger for many. But for those who love their flavors and can’t imagine a life without spice, check out some savory alternatives.

What are your food triggers? Do you have any environmental triggers? What kind of activities or personal habits lead to a flare-up?

Reducing Redness

Calm and soothe rosacea with the right products.


While the cause of rosacea is largely unknown, there’s evidence showing that rosacea can be calmed with laser treatment. Two common laser treatments used by rosacea patients are Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Laser Facials.

IPL applies broad-spectrum light to your skin, while Laser Facials heats your dermis which sits directly below your epidermis, or your outermost skin layer. Both treatments can reduce blotchy skin by diminishing redness and reducing the visibility of prominent capillaries. How do they work? Both treatments penetrate the skin, heating up the capillaries and causing them to collapse. They are naturally broken down and reabsorbed by the body.

Through a series of treatments rosacea patients can enjoy calmer, healthy skin. Have questions on IPL Treatments and Laser Facials? Drop them below or send us a line!

Soothing Creams


Besides special treatments, rosacea patients maintain redness through their daily beauty routine. Various creams and beauty products can irritate rosacea. So many eliminate those outbreak-prompting products from their routine in favor of products specifically designed for sensitive skin or produced with calming ingredients.

Azulene Moisture Cream contains an anti-inflammatory ingredient azulene derived from chamomile which helps calm rosacea. It’s formulated specifically for sensitive, irritated and rosacea-prone skin. Thanks to boswellia serrata extract, the very cause of inflammation (the 5-lipoxygenase enzyme) is blocked! Hyaluronic acid makes this cream highly moisturizing, while antioxidant vitamins A and E balance and protect the skin’s lipid barrier.

For more rosacea-calming creams, check out the Rosacea Support Group, where rosacea patients offer their two cents on the various redness-reducing, sensitivity-calming products that are targeted towards rosacea patients. Interested in Azulene Moisture Cream? Contact our spas for info.

Rosacea Treatments: Buy 3, Get 1 Free!


In honor of Rosacea Awareness Month, BodyLase is running a special on treatments that help reduce redness. For IPL treatments and Laser Facials, you can buy three, get one FREE! That means for the month of April you can save on $299 (the regular price of a single IPL treatment) and $199 (the regular price of a Laser Facial). Have questions? Schedule a consultation with one of our medical experts to find out if IPL Treatments or Laser Facials will work for you.

Filed Under: beauty products, IPL Photofacial, Laser Facial, rosacea Tagged With: , ,