McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
Rosacea: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Published by Dr Darren McKeown
Date posted — 24.04.25
If you’re dealing with facial redness that never seems to go away—especially on your cheeks, nose, chin or forehead—you’re not alone. Many people experience ongoing skin sensitivity and flushing, but don’t know what’s behind it. Often, the culprit is a common skin condition known as rosacea.
Rosacea can be distressing due to its appearance, but it can also cause physical discomfort, such as soreness or itching. But the good news is, while rosacea used to be a frustrating and stubborn condition to manage, modern treatments like BBL laser treatment have made visible improvement more achievable than before.
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that primarily affects the central face. It causes visible redness and can also lead to bumps, visible blood vessels, sensitivity, and sometimes eye irritation.
Rosacea is more common than many realise—affecting around 1 in 10 people in the UK—and typically develops between the ages of 30 and 50. It’s most common in fair-skinned individuals and often runs in families.
There are several types of rosacea, including:
- Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR): Persistent redness with visible blood vessels.
- Papulopustular rosacea: Redness with acne-like breakouts.
- Phymatous rosacea: Skin thickening, usually around the nose.
- Ocular rosacea: Affects the eyes, causing irritation and redness.
Symptoms of rosacea
Rosacea symptoms can vary from one person to another. Common symptoms include:
- Persistent facial redness
- Flushing that lasts longer than normal
- Visible blood vessels (broken capillaries)
- Acne-like bumps
- Burning, stinging, or itching sensations
Other, less common symptoms may include:
- Swollen or thickened skin
- Dry, irritated eyes or eyelids
- Sensitivity to skincare products or environmental factors
If you’re noticing any of these symptoms, especially facial redness that doesn’t fade, it might be time to speak to your doctor.
Causes and triggers
The exact cause of rosacea isn’t fully understood, but it’s believed to be a combination of genetics, immune system factors, and environmental triggers.
Common rosacea triggers include:
- Sun exposure
- Stress and anxiety
- Hot drinks or spicy foods
- Alcohol (especially red wine)
- Extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
- Strenuous exercise
- Certain skincare ingredients or cosmetics
Learning your individual triggers can help you manage flare-ups and reduce the severity of symptoms.
Self-help techniques for treating rosacea
While rosacea can’t be cured, there are many self-help techniques that can reduce flare-ups and help you feel more in control:
- Gentle skincare: Use fragrance-free, non-abrasive cleansers and moisturisers.
- Sun protection: Daily SPF 30 or higher is essential to prevent worsening redness.
- Dietary changes: Identifying and avoiding food triggers like alcohol or spicy meals.
- Stress management: Mindfulness, breathing exercises, and regular routines can help.
These holistic strategies can calm symptoms and reduce inflammation, but may not be enough to remove visible redness entirely. That’s where advanced medical treatments can make a difference.
Treatment for rosacea
At McKeown Medical, we offer clinically proven treatment options to tackle rosacea and improve the appearance of your skin.
One of the most effective and popular treatments is BBL laser therapy (BroadBand Light). This advanced technology targets redness and broken blood vessels while stimulating the skin’s natural healing process.
BBL treatment is:
- Non-invasive with minimal downtime
- Customisable to suit different rosacea subtypes
- Clinically proven to improve tone, texture, and clarity
Most patients need an initial corrective series of treatment to improve their skin. We then usually recommend maintenance sessions every 3-6 months, depending on the severity of your condition to prevent recurrence.
Facial redness doesn’t have to be a lifelong struggle. With the right care and expert treatment, many people see a significant reduction—or even removal—of their rosacea symptoms.
At McKeown Medical, we’ve helped countless patients regain their confidence through personalised rosacea treatments, including BBL laser therapy. If you’re unsure what’s causing your redness, or you’re ready to take the first step toward clearer skin, we’re here to help.
Want to see real patient transformations? Check out our gallery for examples of our results.
If you’re ready to say goodbye to redness, book a consultation with our experts today. We’ll help you choose the best treatment plan for your skin.
An example of a patient before and after treatment at McKeown Medical
Related Articles
Varicose veins
5 Dangerous myths about varicose vein treatment debunked
Think varicose vein treatment is painful, risky, or ineffective? Discover the truth as we debunk 5 common myths and reveal...
Laser dermatology
Microneedling or Laser Resurfacing: What’s More Effective for Acne Scars?
Struggling with acne scars? We compare microneedling and laser resurfacing to reveal which treatment smooths skin, boosts collagen, and reduces...
Varicose veins
Key early signs of varicose veins to be aware of
Spot varicose veins early—learn the first symptoms like leg heaviness, swelling, skin changes, restless legs. Early detection makes treatment easier.
...1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3
Varicose veins
5 Dangerous myths about varicose vein treatment debunked
Think varicose vein treatment is painful, risky, or ineffective? Discover the truth as we debunk 5 common myths and reveal...
Laser dermatology
Microneedling or Laser Resurfacing: What’s More Effective for Acne Scars?
Struggling with acne scars? We compare microneedling and laser resurfacing to reveal which treatment smooths skin, boosts collagen, and reduces...
Varicose veins
Key early signs of varicose veins to be aware of
Spot varicose veins early—learn the first symptoms like leg heaviness, swelling, skin changes, restless legs. Early detection makes treatment easier.
...Our reviews
What a lovely experience. I am delighted with my results. Much better than I expected. Dr McKeown is a genuine down to earth person and explained everything to me before my procedure. Thanks again. Would recommend this clinic to anyone looking for a cosmetic procedure. I intend to come back in a few months’ time for further treatment.
Rosemary Grant January 2024
Here`s another fabulous result from our talented surgeon @bramhallplasticsurgery.
This lovely patient had a wide awake deep plane face and neck lift under local anaesthetic. The deep plane technique is the most technically challenging facelift to perform, and Russell remains the only surgeon in Scotland offering it. Unlike more traditional lifts, it goes much deeper to reposition the facial tissues rather than simply pulling them tight.
The outcome is a much more effective rejuvenation and results that last far longer than a standard facelift.
She is nine months post-surgery and absolutely delighted with her results.
What do you think?
For more information on the deep plane face and neck lift, check out the link in our profile.
We’re saying goodbye to summer, but hello to laser season!
With the shorter days and weaker sunlight, autumn and winter are the most popular times of year for laser treatments. In the clinic we use a spectrum of world-leading technologies, from gentle refreshes right through to the most transformative resurfacing, to help undo sun damage, smooth texture and bring out your best skin.
BBL is our universal refresher — excellent for redness, sun damage and pigmentation, and it leaves skin glowing without any downtime. For patients looking for some more correction, Halo combines two wavelengths to resurface the skin, refine pores and soften fine lines, usually with less than a week of recovery. And when the goal is the most dramatic change, full laser resurfacing delivers a complete reset, tackling the deepest lines and wrinkles and dramatically transforming skin quality.
Here are some of our fabulous patients who have kindly let us share their results. If you’ve been considering laser treatment, now really is the ideal time to start!
Check the link in our bio for more information on our laser treatments.
Thank you so much to our incredible patient for allowing us to share her results with you. The patient was bothered by the appearance of her jowls which were, predominantly, the result of volume loss from the face.
We restored volume in all the key areas of the face to give her a nice, subtle rejuvenation. She is over the moon with her results. What do you think?
I am VERY excited to let you know about the newest recruit to the Dream Team - Dr Kavita Sharma. Kavita is a fully qualified consultant plastic surgeon who specialises in breast reconstruction for cancer patients in the NHS, as well aesthetic surgery of the breast.
She is going to be performing predominantly breast and body surgery with us (including gynaecomastia surgery for men with enlarged chests!). Aside from being a highly technically-skilled plastic surgeon, what is exciting about Kavita is that she is one of the few female plastic surgeons performing aesthetic surgery.
She has an excellent intuitive understanding of aesthetics as well as the needs and wants of aesthetic surgery patients.
I am sure you are all going to love her as much as we do!
One of the most powerful yet subtle procedures we offer is upper blepharoplasty, removing excess skin from the upper eyelids to create a fresher, more open look.
Thank you to this lovely patient for allowing us to share her results with you. This transformation by the ever-talented @bramhallplasticsurgery shows how a carefully performed eyelid lift can restore definition and lightness around the eyes, without changing your natural expression.
If you’d like to find out more about the upper blepharoplasty or find out if you would be a suitable candidate check the link in our bio.
So tonight we have a double whammy post. First, another example of our 5ml protocol.
But of equal excitement level, an introduction to the newest doctor to join the DreamTeam - Dr Sharon, who is performing the procedure! We are very excited for Sharon to come on board.
Let us know what you think in the comments!
I am so excited to let you all know that our precious daughter is about to have a precious little sister!
The pregnancy has been a bit of a challenge, which is why we haven`t said anything about it before now, but we will be finishing up in the next few weeks to head over to America for the birth and we will be away for 6 weeks.
If you are due to see me in that time frame, I`m adding in some extra availability over the next few weeks to try and see you before we go, and our fabulous team will look after you while we`re away!
It’s getting to that time of year again when we start to look at skin quality and undoing the effects of the summer sun. Here’s a patient we treated with laser resurfacing to combat years of sun damage to the skin.
The patient was anxious about having laser, so we gave her some light sedation for the treatment. We added a little filler to the deep folds around the mouth at the same time. She’s four months post-op and loving life.
What do you think?
What’s the difference between a deep plane facelift and a mini facelift? Here’s our facelift expert, @bramhallplasticsurgery talking about the difference. Both procedures start in a similar way, but what happens beneath the skin makes all the difference.
In a deep plane facelift, the deeper tissues are lifted, key ligaments are released, and the entire face is repositioned for a result that’s both effective and natural.
A mini lift, on the other hand, simply tightens the tissues with a few stitches — which can look less natural over time as the skin changes.
At McKeown Medical, we stopped offering mini lifts years ago because the results of a deep plane facelift are just in another league.
If you’d like to know more about the deep plane facelift, visit the link in our profile.
Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest results and expert insights from the clinic team.
Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help you as you navigate your journey with us.
When you first make contact with us you will be assigned your own personal Patient Relationship Manager. They’ll start by understanding your needs and liaising with our doctors to book you an appointment with the most suitable specialist. For any additional questions or needs, you can message or call them anytime and they’ll be delighted to assist you. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible treatment and care tailored to your needs.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news from McKeown Medical and get access to expert insights, our latest before and afters and exclusive offers.
