Beyond the Redness: Treating Rosacea

Written by Sarah Pareds, Medical Aesthetician

Rosacea is complex and can be a different experience for each individual struggling with it. For some people it looks like persistent redness across the cheeks and nose. For others it shows up as flushing, heat, visible capillaries, bumps that resemble acne, dryness, sensitivity, or all of the above. And while there’s no single “cause,” there are a few things we know contribute to it.

Your skin barrier plays a huge role. People with rosacea tend to have a more reactive, easily inflamed skin barrier, meaning their skin struggles to protect itself from environmental stressors. There’s also a vascular component, which is why redness and flushing are so common. Genetics absolutely play a role, too. If rosacea runs in your family, your chances of dealing with it are higher. On top of that, inflammation, immune response, heat regulation, and even microorganisms naturally found on the skin can all contribute to flare ups.

The tricky part is that rosacea triggers are different for everyone. Common ones include:
• Heat and sun exposure
• Alcohol
• Spicy foods
• Stress
• Intense exercise
• Food sensitivity
• Over-exfoliation, harsh products
• Wind, cold weather

Your skin doesn’t randomly decide to get “angry”. There is likely a trigger involved, but sometimes it takes time and digging to connect the dots.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people trying to dry out, or aggressively treat rosacea because they think the redness or bumps mean their skin needs to be “cleaned up.” I know I have told so many of my clients about my mom and her struggle with rosacea. When I was growing up, my mom thought she had adult acne. I swear she was one of Proactiv’s first and best customers, and her issues never seemed to improve. In reality, rosacea-prone skin typically responds best to calming inflammation, supporting the barrier, and treating redness strategically rather than aggressively.

This is where in office treatments can make a huge difference.

I love Sciton’s BBL HEROic for rosacea and redness because it targets visible blood vessels and excess pigment using pulses of light energy. That light converts to heat and selectively targets the redness in the skin while leaving surrounding tissue unharmed. Over time, this can help reduce diffused redness, flushing, and visible capillaries while also improving the overall quality and resilience of the skin.

One of my favorite things about BBL is that we’re not just chasing redness. We’re also encouraging healthier skin function and collagen stimulation at the same time. It’s one of those treatments that can make the skin look calmer, stronger, and healthier overall.

That said, managing rosacea isn’t usually about one treatment or one product. It’s consistency. Barrier support. And knowing when to do less.

At home, I’m a huge fan of Plated Calm for rosacea-prone skin because it focuses heavily on reducing inflammation and supporting skin recovery. Rosacea skin is often stuck in this constant cycle of irritation and overreaction, and calming those inflammatory pathways can make a massive difference over time. It’s one of those products that immediately makes skin feel more comfortable while also working toward long term improvement.

I also love Skinbetter Science Mystro for redness and sensitivity because it helps bring the skin back into balance. Rosacea skin tends to overreact to everything, and Mystro is incredible for helping regulate that stressed out, reactive feeling while supporting overall skin health.

When it comes to exfoliation and cell turnover, gentler is usually the goal. Rosacea-prone skin still benefits from exfoliation because dead skin buildup can contribute to roughness, congestion, and inflammation, but the approach matters.

Azelaic acid is really having a moment on social media and for good reason. It is one of the gold standards for rosacea because it helps reduce redness and inflammation while gently encouraging healthy cell turnover. It can also help with bumps and uneven texture without being as harsh as stronger acids or aggressive exfoliants. Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) and mandelic acid are also often better tolerated by sensitive skin types because they exfoliate more gently and tend to cause less irritation.

The goal with rosacea is rarely to “attack” the skin. It’s to strengthen it, calm it, and support it consistently over time.

And honestly…rosacea management is usually less about finding one miracle product and more about creating an environment where your skin feels safe enough to stop constantly defending itself.