Chronic skin conditions

When the word ‘chronic’ is applied to any condition, it can paint a rather dim picture of the future. And especially when your condition is highly visible, it can leave you feeling less than confident in your everyday interactions.

Laser procedures have had huge success in abating and, in some cases, entirely alleviating the visual signs of chronic skin conditions and drastically altering how sufferers of chronic skin conditions feel about themselves and their lives.

Laser treatments can help you manage the following chronic skin conditions:

Rosacea

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease most commonly characterised by redness of the face – usually seen in light-skinned men and women in their 30s-60s and beyond.

Whilst no-one knows the exact cause, it can be exacerbated by lifestyle factors such as stress, sun exposure, alcohol or spicy food. In some cases, rosacea can cause thickening of the skin around the centre of the face and nose and if left untreated, can worsen over time. As is the case with many chronic diseases, rosacea is subject to periodic flare-ups. Rosacea commonly affects highly visible areas and if it affects you, it can cause social and psychological discomfort.

Laser treatment for Rosacea can be very successful.

Inflammatory adult acne

When you’re a teenager, acne can be par for the course – just one of the unfortunate side effects of puberty. However as an adult, suffering from acne can be excruciating. In the last few years research has emerged indicating an increase in the number of adults suffering from acne, particularly women. The incorrect assumption that poor hygiene, overactive hormones (or too much junk food) is the cause of the condition can be embarrassing and impact your social and even professional life ^{2, 5}.

Chances are if you’re affected by adult acne, you’ve tried many treatments to control it – none of which do terribly much and the breakouts keep coming back. Worse still, it can inflame surrounding skin, making your skin constantly look red and angry.

Adult acne can be positively impacted by a series of laser treatments.

Poikiloderma

Poikiloderma is a chronic skin condition impacts appears on areas of the skin often affected by sun damage. It usually presents as redness, thin (atrophied) skin or hyperpigmentation, commonly around the neck and décolletage areas.

It can be treated with minimal pain, usually across a few treatments for best results⁶.

Dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN)

Dermatosis papulosa nigra (DPN’s) are hyperpigmented raised spots that occur almost exclusively in people with darker skin tones⁹. They are benign and generally don’t herald any more serious conditions. Whilst DPN doesn’t require any form of treatment, they can appear in excess which may cause you to feel self-conscious and impact your confidence. Hence laser treatment might be an option.

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If you are suffering from a chronic skin condition and want to have a chat about whether laser treatment is right for you, call Northern Beaches Skin Medics on 02 8036 2044 or book an appointment via the form below.