Back to Hamilton I went for the first of 4 treatments for my ocular rosacea.
I signed my waivers that warned of the risks of bruising, and pondered the time I had a couple of broken blood vessels lasered off my face. I was in my 20s and had been informed I had rosacea by my dermatologist. A dilation issue, exposure to heat, alcohol, or even spicy foods, can cause flare ups. If the flare up is bad enough, it can cause blood vessels to rupture.
I had no clue how bad the bruising would be. If I had, I wouldn’t have gotten it done 2 days prior to working a charitable event. I looked like a had a child-drawn, solid black flower tattooed on my face, just beside my mouth. Someone even asked me at that event if I had gotten a new tattoo. Oh sure, I just decided to get this prison style tattoo put permanently on my face.
I walked into the room wondering if I would look slightly sunburned, or bruised all over by the time I walked out.
My first treatment consisted of 3 parts. First was the IPL laser. It was going to be used at each appointment to target the rosacea. You could have just the eyelids done, or include the cheeks, or the entire face, for the same price. I had opted for the full face. I would be saying goodbye to my ever present rosy cheeks.
Prior to the laser, I was going to be having an extensive lid exfoliating treatment. That was definitely my favourite part.
Once that was done, we started the IPL. They cover your face with cold ultrasound gel to minimize the pain and heat you might feel. Numbing drops are put into your eyes. It was the same type of laser used on my broken blood vessels, except much stronger.
Each section would start with a snapping sensation. Some made me jump, involuntarily. Around the nose was definitely the most sensitive.
She stopped to talk me through the eyelid portion. She would be using a different attachment, which was due to the sensitivity of the area. The worst part of this would be the protection for the eyes. She pulled out two small metal discs with a little nub on one side.
“I am going to place these over your eyes. It is going to feel uncomfortable, and you will feel some pressure. For most people, this is the worst part. Now look up towards the ceiling.”
I watched the first disc coming down towards me. Darkness. Pressure. The odd sensation of her tucking my eyelid around the edges. My brain was telling me to run. Deep breaths.
“That’s it. Keep breathing. Okay, now look up at the ceiling again. I know that will feel hard now that one disc is in place.”
My remaining eye watered. It was struggling to move while the other felt like it was in a vice.
“Okay good. Both discs are in place. Now this is going to sound strange, but you can close your eyes now.”
From dark to darker, my eyes rolled back in my head. She treated the upper and lower lids and in less than 10 minutes, the IPL portion was over.
The last part of the treatment was a plasma pen. This is a type of procedure that is done to the lash lines to promote improvement of the meibomian glands in that area. Those are the glands that die off when you have ocular rosacea.
This was mildly uncomfortable simply because they also flip the eyelids inside out to treat the inner lash lines.
Once again, I was being told what a calm patient I was. I think I am just resigned to the fact that that some of these things have to be done. I might as well just get through them.
Upwards of 70% of people with facial rosacea will have the ocular version as well. If nothing else, hopefully sharing this information will make more people aware of it.
I have 3 more visits until my treatment is done. The next will be IPL, plus the plasma pen, and the last two will be just IPL.
I’m still in that weird headspace of wanting my days off back, and not riddled with medical appointments, and being grateful that I am even aware of some of the ailments I have.
Many of the diagnoses I have received, or am in the process of receiving, are accumulative. Things that could snowball, and advance, or even lead to cancer. Let this serve as a reminder to not put things off, even if it means spending some time doing things you don’t enjoy.
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