Help! I’ve suddenly developed rosacea . . .

QI’VE always had good skin, but recently developed rosacea, which is slowly getting worse. Are retinol and lasers the answer?

AROSACeA, a chronic skin condition, often starts in mid-life — very frustrating if you’ve always had good skin.

There are two types: inflammatory (spots, bumps, blotches, pimples) and vascular (redness, flushing, broken capillaries), both of which require a different approach.

Dr Stefanie Williams, of London’s eudelo clinic, says any inflamed spots or blotches need clearing up first — not with over-the- counter retinol, but with prescription treatment, such as anti-inflammatory creams. Or, if these are not successful, with antibiotic or anti-inflammatory tablets.

After this, you can treat the veins with either a vascular laser (a laser that targets blood vessels) or IPL treatments — intense pulses of light energy.

Both use heat to collapse the vein and quell redness (three to six treatments are usually needed, with prices from around £ 200 per session).

For a more immediate reduction of redness, doctors can prescribe Mirvaso cream as an ‘emergency’ treatment, which can suppress it for up to 12 hours.

Please seek out a dermatologist to guide you through the right treatment for your rosacea type.

The most important at-home skincare for you is a light, oil-free mineral SPF, such as Skinceuticals Sheer Mineral UV Defense SPF 50 (£37, skinceuticals.co.uk).