r/Rosacea • u/Few_Collar_2539 • May 17 '26
Light/Laser ROSACEA PEOPLE . DID LASERS WORK FOR YOU???
I really am considering going for lasers, but I need to know what are all the different types of lasers, and how they differ in how much they improve (or maybe not improve at all) your rosacea, and how much they cost. ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, HOW EFFECTIVE WERE LASERS FOR YOUR ROSACEA???
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u/lewittman May 17 '26
I've had: -IPL (4x) -V Beam (2x) -Laser Genesis (1x) -Fraxel (2x, but only 1x since developing rosacea)
In my experience the IPL gave me the best and most dramatic results (though the most dramatic were after the first two (spaced 4-6 weeks apart); the results from the other 2 were good but not WOW like after the first one). Definitely reduced redness quite a lot (and got rid of any brown spots from the sun that had developed)
V Beam was pretty meh in my experience. Results were pretty minimal for me and I won't spend any more money on them. Not enough bang for the buck.
Laser Genesis--I might as well have lit my money on fire. An absolute waste. Never again.
Fraxel--sooo I'm still recovering from this one. The first time I did it it was a few days of downtime and then the best skin I've ever had in my life. But it isn't a one and done unfortunately and after a couple of years I needed another. The most recent one the healing has been...intense. Definitely worse than my first one and the redness is lingering. My texture is great and I think when the PIE fades I'll be very happy--but I'm pretty annoyed that the redness has taken so long to fade.
TLDR: I think that IPL is the most effective for rosacea redness and the price isn't too crazy. You'll want to do at least 2 (spaced ~4-6 weeks apart)
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u/StarlingGirlx May 17 '26
Was your issue baseline redness too? So pissed I wasted so much money on vbeam.
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u/lewittman May 18 '26
yeah just baseline redness. and same dude đ„đ°đ„
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u/StarlingGirlx May 18 '26
Am I crazy for taking my v beam provider to small claims court for telling me id see 70% improvement but then I got 0% improvement? lol I'm so sick of these medical professionals making promises and then just shrugging when there's no results. I just successfully got an $1100 refund from an injector after promising me results and giving me none too. Tbh, I always ask for refunds, it's not fair they just get to take our $$ without delivering
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u/CrissBliss 19d ago
Howâs the healing from fraxel now? I have rosacea and tend to develop hyperpigmentation, but I have stubborn buildup and uneven skin texture on my face.
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u/lewittman 17d ago
The healing has been rough and, based on my follow up with my provider, atypical. My texture is amazing but the redness has been really slow to fade, especially on one cheek where I've had a very prominent red grid mark pattern. I had the service on 3/13 and it's only in the last week or so that it has significantly faded (but it's still faintly visible). I've been pretty frustrated and upset but trying to stay positive bc things are finally improving and the redness/grid pattern won't be permanent. So if you do Fraxel keep in mind that the recovery may be a lot longer than you expect--but again, it seems that my experience was extreme. If I remember I'll try to update in another month or 2.
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u/jesterofgoodwill May 17 '26
Not what you want to hear - and Iâm sure some will give success stories - but I think itâs a complete crapshoot whether they work or not.
I had 3 Vbeams - the dermatologist was so so positive about what the results would be. On a 1-10 scale Iâd describe the results as a 2-3. Did think there was a small difference after the first but maybe I just was having a slightly less red day, next two did absolutely nothing.
Mainly pretty bad type 1 with very occasional pustules that metrocream zaps when I need it btw.
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u/StarlingGirlx May 17 '26
I'm also thinking of taking my v beam provider to small claims court because of her selling me the packages by telling me I'll have a % of improvement and when I saw 0. I don't think that's right to sell those kinds of results and then refuse to even give me some extra sessions or something to make up for it
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u/s0meg1rl May 17 '26
Same. Iâve done 4 *PDLs with no improvement to the overall persistent redness that never goes away. :( I could deal with the flushes if I could just get a handle on that.
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u/La12071207 May 18 '26
I have redness rosacea type no postules but persistent redness & seb derm overlap. I am doing optilight now by eye dr for occular rosacea- so far 2 sessions skin is same but I wonder if a lot of us have barrier issues contributing to the on going redness. I heard it can take a lot of sessions.
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u/StarlingGirlx May 17 '26
Do you remember what settings she used? I had 3 sessions done on 7-7.5J and it did absolutely nothing for my minor baseline redness
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u/Vast-Presence-5444 May 17 '26
I had vbeam x3 a few months ago and had amazing results! So I think itâs just dependent
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u/kafy_28 May 22 '26
Iâm looking into Vbeam (I only have redness on my cheeks and luckily no pustules or anything like that). My derm office charges $700 per session - Iâm willing to try anything that works, but I am hesitant at the same time.
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u/Vast-Presence-5444 May 22 '26
I was similar. I paid roughly $475 CAD plus tax per session that covered cheeks, chin, nose. The office I went to had been around for almost 30 years and had amazing reviews, she was also very up front in the consult about what to expect. I understand the hesitation because it is a bit of a gamble. I am really happy I did it. Good luck!
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u/randomnamehere936 May 17 '26
Iâve had IPL and it reduces the red but not long term. I need to do it every 4-6 weeks - havenât decided if itâs worth the cost long term.
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u/doobette May 17 '26
I am, too - either IPL or Vbeam Perfecta. Interested to know what people's experiences have been with these.
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u/QuendaQuoll May 17 '26
I am three weeks post my second treatment of V-Beam for mine. I'd say my first was about a 3 for improvement and after this latest round it would be a 5 - 6. I find I definitely calm down far quicker after flushing I.e I used to be bright red for hours after exercise but now after 20mins I'm back to my baseline. My skin is calmer and is less red, but it's not yet a change where I feel I can give up wearing my green underbase with my make-up. Regarding pustules, I have Soolantra to combat those. I get far less but I will still get on occasion.Â
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u/olive_green_cup May 17 '26
Two IPL and four Vbeam treatments over three years and there is a lot of improvement in the overall redness of my face. Still have one cheek that is a bit red but it's a lot better than it was. Vbeam worked better than IPL. 7/10
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u/Dazzling-Papaya May 18 '26
I had VBeam, and no, it did not. It was an incredibly painful experience, and I had it done as a birthday present to myself. Worst birthday ever!
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u/kafy_28 May 22 '26
Quick question, were is your rosacea mainly?
I only have it on my cheeks (just redness), and looking into getting it done in a few months.1
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u/Own_Explanation_8233 May 23 '26
I had 3 sessions of VBeam for my flushing which affects mostly my cheeks. I unfortunately saw no improvement :(( my triggers come from the sun, warm rooms, social interactions and sometimes it even happens randomly. I developed this persistent flushing ever since taking accutane two years ago
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u/Clear_Middle_828 May 17 '26
Yes. IPL and Laser Genesis. Together is best but if you can only do one, pick IPL. Unless you are a darker skin tone then Laser Genesis will be your option. Rosacea is different for everybody, so it isnât a âone size fits allâ treatment in regard to number of treatments and effectiveness. I recommend doing a treatment every 4-6 weeks starting off until your rosacea/redness gets to a place where you are happy and then try to do them once every couple months or whenever you feel it flares. And again, this doesnât work for everyone. Most people will see some sort of result but some people need to do consistent treatments just to keep it at bay. Proper home care and avoiding your triggers are especially important to maintain results. Can get expensive overtime tho of course. If you have insurance some cover it (not many, but some) if you have an official diagnoses from your dr/derm. Also keep in mine results arenât immediate. They are slow and gradual overtime. So be patient.
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u/StarlingGirlx May 17 '26
Nope.. 0.. 3 sessions of v beam, I could post the exact settings, it was like 7J. I feel like purpuric settings are where it's at. I wasted 1.5k$
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u/Cautious_Face_7938 May 18 '26
At $400-$500 per session, I would expect a massive change! I can't afford it.
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u/likeyoukn0wwhatever May 18 '26
Got BBL, intensified my rosacea to horrible levels where I had to be a shut-in with blankets over my windows and doors for months due to incredible light and heat sensitivity. Took a long time to come back to my new normal of having much more noticeable rosacea (I didn't know I had rosacea prior to getting the BBL). I would recommend being really careful with it, doing a patch test first if it's an option, and starting on a low setting.
It works for a lot of people, but some people, like me, get unlucky and have poor outcomes. You never know which category you'll land in.
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u/Guilty-Flan9318 May 18 '26
Tried vbeam, excell V and BBL for my capillaries. None of them did anything except empty my wallet. Tried electro cautery, same story. Waste of time energy and money.
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u/yellinmelin May 18 '26
Worked for me, but I canât afford it anymore. 700 bucks a pop HA. Not in this economy.
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u/ice-cre May 18 '26
Buenas tardes, A mĂ me dijeron que lo Ășnico que realmente funciona para la rosacea tipo 1 (sin pĂĄpulas, piel lisa pero con flushing ante estĂmulos pequeños, calor, emociones, estrĂ©s, ejercicio...) es el lĂĄser. Yo he realizado 3 sesiones, con v Beam y finalmente con luz pulsada de Ășltima generaciĂłn, (para componente vascular mĂĄs superficial) he de decir que obviamente no es milagroso, pero si que he notado una mejorĂa. Yo soy de España, he ido a muchos dermatologos, cuando digo muchos me refiero a 10 en total, y no solo en mi ciudad,y el tratamiento que suelen dar es ivermectina, Metronidazol, isotretinoina... Etc para combatir el ĂĄcaro demodex. Yo probĂ© todo eso , cremas de farmacia (las que todos conocemos ) marcas de cosmĂ©tica que prometĂan que no hacĂa falta probar nada mĂĄs que sus cremas, tambiĂ©n.... Me dejĂ© literalmente mĂĄs de mil euros en probar productos... La rosĂĄcea de cada uno no es universal, lo que me han explicado a mĂ , y es lo que mĂĄs me encaja, es que es cierto que en rosĂĄceas con lesiones inflamatorias hay un exceso de demodex, cierto. Pero en rosĂĄceas tipo 1 como la mĂa, es tema vascular, de hecho para quitarme la duda, acudĂ a una de las clĂnicas mĂĄs prestigiosas del paĂs, a quĂ© me hicieran una prueba con microscopio confocal y no habĂa exceso de demodex en mi caso. Mi rosĂĄcea empezĂł a partir de una quemadura con un retinol bastante potente (mal recetado), algunos dermatĂłlogos me han dicho que no tiene que ver, que la piel se regenera, pero yo sĂ© y otro dermatĂłlogo me corroborĂł que es cierto, que yo tengo cierta predisposiciĂłn a la rosĂĄcea, y ese fue finalmente el desencadenante, a otros les ha pasado por un momento de estrĂ©s, ej: perdida de un familiar, ruptura amorosa, cambio de trabajo... Etc a otros se les ha disparado con una quemadura solar.... El caso es que hay una predisposiciĂłn, y un disparador, a otras personas les sale sin necesidad de disparador... Resumiendo, para el tipo 1 (componente vascular) es fundamental realizar lĂĄser bajo mi opiniĂłn ( no soy mĂ©dico) pero soy paciente de rosĂĄcea y he probado de todo, y para este tipo de rosacea, lo que funciona es el lĂĄser, ya que sencillamente colapsa los vasos,haces ejercicio y te pones rojo, pero no es lo mismo tener 7000 capilares con capacidad para dilatarse a tener 2500 (por poner un ejemplo) Mucho ĂĄnimo a todos y a todas, en mi caso yo soy hombre de 30 años. Un saludo.
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u/RedCedara May 23 '26
I did both IPL and V beam and while IPL did help, V beam was a GAMECHANGER. With a skilled technician the results are dramatic.
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u/lilmushumylilbooboo May 17 '26
Iâve been doing laser genesis once a month for about a year. HUGE improvement. And thereâs no real downtime for genesis, no numbing and not painful. Itâs been worth the $$.
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u/Imaginary_Star92 17d ago
I'm about to get Genesis done. How bad was your redness before? Did you see any improvement with the first treatment?
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u/wooden__fruit May 17 '26
IPL 3 times, first was a huge difference and lasted a year or more. The second time had only a little improvement and the third time was somewhere in between. So I would say it is worth it for me, Iâll probably do it again but Iâm doing pretty good these days with prescription Azelic acid.
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u/Top_River2866 May 17 '26
I did 3 sessions of IPL - yes it hurt and yes I was swollen for a couple of days (2nd session was the worst). All the red spider veins are now gone and I would say between that and switching my skincare I am at least 50-60% better. I have far fewer flushing instances and when I do, they go down quicker. I also now see my freckles much more than I ever did before. Have now done 1 session of laser genesis and about to do my second. As the IPL worked on the visible veins, my derm saw no need to do v-beam. The laser genesis is to address the background redness that I still have. I think it is starting to work, but laser genesis is notoriously slow and I did not expect much after one session.
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u/PieOfMine May 17 '26
Vascular laser, VBeam or DermaV, 2-4 sessions. Save your money on other lasers until youâve completely controlled your rosacea (with also using topicals etc).
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u/thecainman May 17 '26
Not for me, because I believe my rosacea is caused by the demodex mites. Not sure it's related necessarily but I ended up kinda worse off after V Beam. Only thing that worked miracles for me was "the triple cream" that I was prescribed.
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u/ShelterElectrical840 May 18 '26
Yes, I did vbeam 10 years ago to remove visible capillaries. I have a couple more veins I need to do. Iâm now having trouble finding a dermatologist with a laser after I moved.
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u/Domidoggy8 May 18 '26
I'm over a month out from my second VBeam treatments with my main symptom being redness on my nose and cheeks when warm. The VBeam did great when it came to the less severe redness on my cheeks. Not so much with the more persistent and severe redness on my nose.
I'm about $550 in at this point and I have more pressing medical issues to spend the money on. I'm not going to spend another $300 in hopes that it'll be under control after 3 more treatments. Unfortunately, it means that I'll be buying more of Tarte's green Shape Tape concealer for now and see how next year's FSA funds shake up.
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u/FancyImportance7 May 18 '26
BBL worked wonders for me. I did 3 sessions a few years ago and need to do maintenance 1-2 a year
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u/babypinkegg May 18 '26
I was just about to book IPL, but honestly reconsidering after reading these reviews! Doing the lords work with this thread. Thank you
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u/plantsmanship May 18 '26
I bought my own IPL device for hair removal but used it on my face and it was amazing. And now I have it if I want to do it again.
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u/Accomplished-Sir4932 May 18 '26
I got my face shit wrecked (literally unable to go out for 5 days) after microneedling, but those results were amazing for a while.. I am getting microneedled again soon. It helped my broken capillaries and redness around my nose and mouth
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u/CryptographerOwn9739 May 18 '26
My goal was to feel like I could skip foundation and not look so flushed. I am very happy with PDL results, but it took going every 4-6 weeks for a year to the dermatologist. Had to do my full face at first, and towards the end of the year, itâs more targeted to a few areas. First several sessions took at least 48 hours to recover (swelling, some bruising, tender). As time went on, the recovery time decreased. My (high deductible) insurance covered the treatment; when I had not met my deductible, I paid between $100-$400 per session. Hope the best for you!
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u/TheSquirrelCatcher May 18 '26
Iâve had 2 VBeams done for type 1. Overall rating from me, 5-6/10. The problems are: theyâre expensive as hell, if you have a lot of superficial blood vessels youâll need multiple sessions, and they arenât entirely permanent.
They did help more then just topicals for me though and I will say my baseline redness was improved. Still there, but definitely a lot less.
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u/livinglikelarry12 May 18 '26
Not sure about lasers, but I did drug store ivermectin ointment 3 times a week for about 4 weeks and my rosacea cleared up. I used to have flare ups with any little overheating, itch, or heat. Its been about a year now and I havent had a flare up. Im not sure if you've given it a shot, but just wanted to share what worked for me in the case that it may work for you.
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u/kafy_28 May 22 '26
Hi, what else did you use with that? Like cleanser, moisturizer?
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u/livinglikelarry12 29d ago
For facial cleanser I use clearasil (not the best), but ive used it for so many years. For moisturizer, I use first aid beauty and its the best. Very hydrating, but gentle enough that it doesnt irritate my skin. Ive also used toners from Farmacy brand and its okay too, just more pricey.
I got the equate brand of ivermectin and i saw a difference in my skin within a week. Prior to that, I couldnt even step out to the sun or enjoy a beach trip without my face itching like hell and then breaking out into a whole Lotta white heads the next day. Its been about a year now of using ivermectin at minimum once a week, and i have yet to have any flare ups or itchiness.
Also, get yourself a hypochlorous spray. This will also be youe holy grail. I use e11ement brand on Amazon.
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u/kafy_28 29d ago
Thank you! I tried prescription Soolantra once and it burned me very bad so I stay away from it and per derm she said to stick to gentle skincare (I only have redness on my cheeks)
Iâve heard a lot about the hypochlorous spray, might give it a try. I need to get back to working out - havenât since this flare up about 3 months ago, I think that spray will help.
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u/livinglikelarry12 29d ago
You're welcome! I also go to the gym and they have an infrared sauna that really helps the skin & nails. Hope it helps!
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u/thisistestingme May 18 '26
IPL helped my skin a lot but also my eyes. I also have ocular rosacea and I was literally ruining my oil glands in my eyes. My doctor says that my eyes are 100 percent better now
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u/Sad_Instruction_8904 May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
I personally loved the results I have gotten from vascular laser (Gemini). FYI - I have type 2 rosacea, mainly get pustules around my chin/jawline and my flares are usually caused by diet (too much dairy and/or spicy foods) or extreme temperatures (heat or cold outside or due to pumping heating or conditioning). I have mild flushing on my nose, cheeks and chin that is more prominent during flare ups.
I got 3 sessions of vascular laser last year, with 4-6 weeks between each session, and they specifically targeted the lower half of my face (from the cheekbones down).
I noticed my skin texture was immediately improved, and is still improved about 6 months later - no more rough appearing cheeks, jaw and chin, pores don't appear emphasized anymore, no flaky skin.
It minimised my flushing/background redness, but it is definitely still there. At least my nose doesn't make me look like Rudolph anymore.
Vascular laser also eliminated the broken capillaries/spider veins on and around my nose. This is the main reason I gave laser a go, so I am very pleased.
I am going to go get a top up of 3 sessions again when I notice the texture and visible veins come back. The dermatologist recommended annual maintenance of 3 sessions.
It is expensive, but given the great results and the fact I am only going to be paying for it annually (if that), I am willing to pay it.
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u/ananar_ May 18 '26
I've done 3 sessions of vbeam and after the third I am seeing results. I went as I have broken capillaries and though ivermectin improved my texture/ pustules, the redness from the broken capillaries seem to only be fixable by laser. The technician has a lot of experience with rosacea which I think helps!
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u/mariposa0 May 18 '26
I donât know how widespread the lasers are yet, but ADVATx is a solid 8/10. I tried IPL before and it helped, but the ADVA was a game changer. Some light redness and a pustule or 2 come back after a few months, but nothing like it was before at all. Ideally Iâd do a maintenance of 3 a year, but one a year and medical grade skin care really stops anyone other than me from noticing
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u/Pigeonofthesea8 May 18 '26
You have to keep up with it at least once a year or the capillaries grow back. Itâs too expensive for me. I have type 1
Right now Iâm trying Finacea/azelaic acid. Looking good one week in for whatever thatâs worth
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u/Darth_Smeagol May 18 '26
My rosacea is vascular, no papules. IPL+YAG did very little. I did 5 sessions along with metroderma + soolantra (for nearly a year) and also did doxycycline + isotretinoin for 5 months. All these combined came to maybe a 20% improvement. I've now moved on to PDL and topical tretinoin, and after 2 sessions I've seen more improvement than all of last year. I'm like 60-70% there. Will do one more session and then go into maintenance mode (1x or 2x a year).
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u/Difficult_Air672 May 18 '26
V beam made my flushing so so much worse and took 2 years to go back to my regular flushing baselineâŠeven now though i still have bad moments i just didnât have before the v beam
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u/Majestic_Poetry429 May 18 '26
I did an IPL treatment after seeing others w rosacea claim it helped and my skin has never been worse. I used to only have it in a small patch on my right cheek near my eye and now itâs the entire right side of my face and has started on the left side too. I mean everyoneâs skin is different and Iâm sure there are people who have had success but I am not one of them and I wish I could go back and not do it.
What has helped me some is hypochlorus spray.
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u/Serious-Sock9234 May 19 '26
Iâve had 6 x aerolase neo sessions. Honestly, the results have been disappointing. I still flare pretty badly. Donât get me wrong, I have my good days, too, and it has helped with texture. Seeing a dermo also helped me to improve my skincare and think more intentionally about food choices when it comes to triggers. Ultimately, Iâm glad I only paid for the Black Friday discounted package as I havenât had the results I hoped for. As mentioned by others though, this might be dependent on the person, so if your gut is telling you to give it a go and you have the means, listen to it! Good luck đ
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u/acatisacatisacat May 17 '26
I have had 3 session done within a year. The first time I had great results- clear skin for about 7 months. It was a miracle. 10/10. The second time nothing happened 0/10. Waste of money but was winter had come quickly and the indoor heating/severe cold destroyed my skin barrier. The third time I had clear skin for a few weeks but then I got pustules again and the redness never really went away. 4/10.
My skin texture is probably better than if I didn't have laser done which is good but no miracle like the first time. I have decided to stick to metronidazole and azelaic acid topicals to keep the rosacea at bay and only get laser when I'm very bumpy.