Rosacea and couperose are fairly common skin diseases that mainly cause redness of the facial skin, but also have other symptoms.
There are several subtypes of rosacea, the severity of which varies from person to person. It is a chronic disease that evolves for several years.
Causation factors :
Although the exact reason why people develop rosacea is still mixed so far, we can still identify some common factors such as:
• Heredity (person with a clear complexion and of North European and Celtic descent)
• Female hormones
• Allergies
• Parasites or bacteria
• Taking certain medications
• Lifestyle habits (spicy foods, alcohol, red wine, UV exposure, extreme temperatures: very hot or cold, stress, irritating cosmetic products, and anything that activates blood circulation at face level)

Couperose and Rosacea : what is the difference?
Couperose is a vascular problem that affects both small vessels and larger ones and is manifested by redness located in specific places.
Rosacea is associated with permanent redness involving small vessels only and rashes. One could say that it is an advanced stage of couperose: the redness can sometimes be very intense and diffuse then combined with pimples similar to those of acne. This is known as rosacea. About half of people with rosacea may also have red and dry eyes and irritated eyelids.
Some individuals also develop over time thickened skin, enlarged skin pores, and sometimes an enlarged or “cauliflower” nose called rhinophyma. A person with rosacea may have only transient redness and not know the other stages of the disease during his life, but his face may also present permanent redness, dilated vessels and pimples.

Couperose : what is it?
At the beginning of the disease, the skin of the face (especially the cheeks, the nose, the forehead) frequently becomes reddish, as if it were marked by a sunburn. The redness called “couperose” is often accompanied by a feeling of heat, tingling and tightness of the skin.
Over time, redness becomes more frequent and persistent. The skin of the face can also become very dry. Small, dilated, purplish blood vessels may appear on the cheeks, the wings of the nose and the cheekbones.
The origins of couperose
In most cases, couperose is hereditary: vessels are genetically “programmed” to gradually lose their dynamism. However, it can also result from intense sunburn, facial surgery or frostbite.

Treatments of couperose :
Pulsed light (IPL) is one of the most widely used methods in the treatment of rosacea and also at DERMAVISION. In aesthetic medicine, these technological platforms used to unify the complexion are medical grade, very safe and high performance.
Electrocoagulation. This is an effective technique in DERMAVISION on telangiectasia (couperose) which may also require several sessions and which has various disadvantages, including these: slight bleeding, redness and the formation of small crusts in the days that follow. This treatment can not be considered during the summer (risk of formation of brown spots).

Treatments of rosacea :
Medications :
Antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed treatment for rosacea is metronidazole-based antibiotic cream (Metrogel®, Rosasol®). Clindamycin creams can also be used. When rosacea is extensive or associated with inflammation of the eyes, the doctor may order an oral antibiotic (tetracycline or sometimes minocycline in Canada) for three months. Although rosacea is not directly linked to bacteria, antibiotics help reduce inflammation of the skin.
Azelaic acid. When applied to the skin as a cream or gel, azelaic acid (Finacea®) helps reduce the number of pustules and reduce redness. However, this product is quite irritating to the skin, so use a moisturizer adapted to complement.
Oral isotretinoin Accutane® in Canada is a prescription medicine that is sometimes used in low doses to treat severe forms of rosacea (in case of phymatous rosacea or papules, pustules or nodules that are resistant to other treatments). As it causes serious side effects, it is prescribed under close medical supervision. Thus, it increases the risk of congenital malformations if used during pregnancy. Women of childbearing age who receive this treatment should be provided with effective contraception and regular pregnancy tests to ensure that they are not pregnant. It is advisable to check with your doctor.

Results after IPL or Electrocoagulation sessions
The results are progressive; it takes between 3 to 4 sessions – depending on the initial condition of the skin – for a unified complexion. What’s more, since rosacea is a chronic condition, annual retouching sessions will be required to maintain results and strengthen blood capillaries.
What happens if the rosacea is not treated properly?
If they are not taken care of properly, the redness will continue to grow and it will be more and more difficult to camouflage them, hence the interest of treating rosacea as soon as possible. The fewer so-called “incompetent” vessels, the more efficient and fast the treatment will be in terms of the number of sessions required.
Good habits to adopt
Apply a daily sunscreen against UVA and UVB rays with a SPF greater than 30 (and do not forget to use it every two hours when outside). Use hypoallergenic skincare products (day cream, makeup remover …) from Sothys, without perfume or alcohol (especially propylene glycol, reputedly desiccating and irritating).

No more excuses, therefore, not to take in hand your rosacea! The winter period is also ideal to use the benefits of pulsed light.
Take the opportunity to give you a radiant complexion before the summer!