Nothing to Blush About––Innovative Aesthetics

Nothing to Blush About

By Courtney Albritton, PA-C, MPA, Clinical Director, Innovative Aesthetics, Linn County LIVING WELL Magazine

Have you ever experienced the embarrassment of excessive blushing? Do your cheeks turn bright pink or red more easily than those you are around? Do you have red acne-type bumps on your cheeks as an adult? Do you get flushed easily when you consume spicy food or alcohol?

This can be related to a medical condition called rosacea: a condition where spider-like blood vessels can become visible on the face and can be inflamed.  Some people also experience burning or stinging sensations when flare-ups occur and acne-like lesions that can crust. A medical provider can evaluate and diagnose if you have this condition. Medical therapies include prescription medications and avoidance of aggravating factors. Despite the best medical therapies, some patients continue experiencing symptoms and find this condition bothersome and embarrassing.

Other conditions such as environmental exposures to tobacco, over exposure to sun, and hereditary involvement can also mimic rosacea with tiny capillaries on the face with aging. This is not considered a medical condition, but individuals find themselves just as frustrated and self-conscious of their ruddy complexion.

Make up and foundations are great concealers for both vascular conditions, but may be limited to gender, activity, and reapplication process. Individuals may be unknowingly aggravating their skin complexion with their skincare regimens as well. Exfoliative scrubs, cleansers and masques, even medical-grade, can trigger exacerbations despite one’s best effort. Others do not want to be on prescription medications for this chronic condition due to health and financial costs.

Innovative Aesthetic Medical Spa offers the help of licensed estheticians to work with you and your individual skincare needs. They will perform a VISIA® Complexion Analysis and help you determine what products can complement your skin type and give suggestions on ingredients and procedures to avoid. In addition to a gentle skincare line, additional and more aggressive treatments to help eliminate the appearance of these small facial blood vessels may be recommended.

Broadband Light (BBL) Therapy is FDA cleared for cutaneous vascular lesions and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of these tiny vessels. This light energy based laser can target blood vessels to reduce and collapse, thus, reducing the appearance of red lines, ruddy complexion, and can be combined with medical therapies to reduce flare-ups. Treatments are performed in the medical spa by certified providers and require no downtime. A session typically lasts about 30 minutes and over a series of treatments, the vasculature shrinks and reduces in size.

Rosacea and rosacea-like redness of the cheeks may not be curable, but knowing effective treatment options, such as medical therapies, skincare regimens, triggers, and use of light based laser options can bring back your self-esteem and make your social evenings less about covering up, and more about enjoying the moment.

Innovative Aesthetics Medical Spa & Laser Center is located downtown in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Free consultations and skincare analysis are available. For more information, please visit our website at IAmedicalspa.com or call 319-365- SPA1 (7721).