Over the last 20 years, laser treatments for rosacea have come to be regarded as an effective and generally safe method of rosacea treatment. This includes such important things as reducing the visiblity of dilated blood vessels on the face and decreasing the ever present redness and flushing of the face and neck. Most people respond kindly to laser and light treatments, and this continues to propel the success of such treatments.

However, it’s important to also note the side effects and any negative or unpleasant consequences of laser and light treatments for rosacea.

The two most popular treatments are the Pulsed Dye Light (PDL Rosacea) and Intense Pulse Light (IPL Rosacea). There are some side effects associated with each treatment.

For PDL treatments, it is sometimes shocking for people to learn that the treatments intentionally induce bruising. It would be accurate to say that bruising of the skin is, in fact, part of the treatment itself. This is only because it has been shown to improve the results of PDL treatments for rosacea. That being the case, doctors can also run the treatments in such a way as to NOT cause bruising or to minimize bruising (some bruising might be unavoidable). This can be done at the request of the patient. The bruises are highly visible, being that they occur at the areas being treated on the face and neck, and last from one to weeks.

In addition to the bruises caused by PDL, other side effects from Pulsed Dye Laser treatments also include spots of skin that become temporarily darker and discolored and also a “crust” forming at the surface of the skin from treatments. These side effects are temporary.

For IPL treatment, common side effects include bruising, swelling of the skin, facial redness, and skin lightening.

Other side effects from laser and light treatments include:

Pain and discomfort, both after but primarily during the session. Clinics may push cold air onto the skin to alleviate some discomfort during treatment. Depending on the laser being used, it might be possible to use a topical lotion or gel on to the skin to reduce pain. However, often this is not possible due to the fact that such medicating agents tend to reduce the visibility of blood vessels on the skin, thus making it harder to treat the very same blood vessels. Before taking any over the counter drugs to reduce pain, consult with your doctor, and some substances may promote bruising or otherwise interfere with laser treatments.

Some patients experience blisters and burning from laser treatments. This can leave a small scar on the skin in some cases.

An temporary increase or decrease in pigmentation may occur after treatments, causing skin to become darker or lighter.

An itchy rash may occur for some people. These rashes are called “photodermatitis”, which means it’s a light induced rash. These again are temporary.

Another side effect experienced is the loss of hair follicles in the area being treated. Many treatments, such as IPL and PDL, are also used for hair removal, and their use in treating rosacea can also cause hair loss in those specific areas on the skin where the lasers or light is emited.

After treatments, patients need to avoid being in the sun. Many clinics suggest wearing sunscreen for a week after treatments to avoid any sun related complications.

There is no evidence that laser treatments and light treatments for rosacea increase the risk of skin cancer.

As with all medical treatments, there are side effects to take into consideration. Rosacea laser treatments are no different. For most individuals, the side effects are temporary and are worth experiencing for the larger goal of reducing the severity of their rosacea symptoms.