The entire staff are all very cool and down to earth, and will make you feel very comfortable once you are there. Dr Bengelsdorf is without a doubt a perfectionist, which makes him very easy to trust with the end results! Highly recommended!
* Results are not guaranteed and vary from person to person
by : A. Hampton
Acne is the most common skin condition in the U.S., affecting around 40 to 50 million Americans. It’s estimated 85 percent of 12 to 24 year olds will experience at least minor acne, but you can develop the condition at any age.
Rosacea affects an estimated 16 million Americans. Like acne, this condition can arise at any age but typically appears between the ages of 30 and 60.
Acne and rosacea share common characteristics, such as redness and the presence of pus-filled lumps. Both conditions are distinct. While they usually appear separately, you can have acne and rosacea at the same time.
To understand therapies for acne, rosacea, or both is to understand the cause of your troubling and uncomfortable symptoms.
The truth about acne
Greasy foods are not to blame for acne. Instead, acne develops when pores become clogged with oil and dead skin cells. Hormonal changes with the onset of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can result in more pore-clogging oil. Bacteria thrive in these areas and cause inflammation, which appears as red pimples or tender, pus-filled lumps and large, solid lumps under the skin (cysts and nodules respectively).
Whiteheads and blackheads are less serious types of acne than cysts and nodules, which can leave scars behind long after your last outbreak. Whiteheads occur when the pore becomes so plugged up that the follicle wall bulges. If the plug is instead open at the surface and exposed to air, it will darken and produce a blackhead.
Stress, some dairy and carbohydrate-rich foods, and medications such as corticosteroids can trigger or make existing acne worse.
Getting to the root of rosacea
While there are many unknowns associated with this condition, rosacea is linked to problems with the way facial blood vessels dilate. Excess blood is brought to the surface of the skin, which results in characteristic flushing and redness. A number of factors are thought to trigger this rush of blood and to aggravate existing symptoms, including:
- Hot or spicy food and drink
- Alcohol consumption
- Sun exposure
- Stress
- Hot baths or saunas
- Medications such as prednisone or blood pressure pills that dilate blood vessels
Research suggests rosacea may be inherited. Some ethnicities appear more prone to rosacea, including those of Irish, English, Scandinavian, Welsh, Scottish, or Eastern European descent. A fair complexion is considered a risk factor.
The importance of visiting a specialist
Rosacea is often mistaken for acne. Likewise, you may think rosacea is your problem when actually; acne is responsible for your symptoms. For the appropriate care to manage, relieve, or lessen your symptoms effectively, seek the expertise of your cosmetic dermatology and aesthetic surgery specialists in the Nashville area, Franklin Skin and Laser.
A board-certified surgeon, Dr. Steven Bengelsdorf differentiates between these two conditions and others with similar skin-related symptoms such as eczema, lupus, or seborrheic dermatitis. Dr. Bengelsdorf will oversee therapies or administer treatments, which may include:
- Medicated creams, gels, or lotions
- Oral or systemic medications
- Laser therapy
- Light-based therapies such as photorejuvenation
- Chemical peels
- Abrasion techniques
Dr. Bengelsdorf may recommend proven, safe medical-grade skin care products and lifestyle modifications for at-home care and maintenance of results seen with in-office treatments. Don’t wait another day for the therapies that will help you look and feel better. The sooner you schedule a consultation by calling (615) 595-8177, the greater your odds of preventing serious complications such as scarring, lasting facial swelling, and tissue buildup.