To analyze the effect of disodium glycyrrhetate combined with intensive pulsed light on patients with rosacea. Methods A total of 80 patients with rosacea admitted to Guangzhou Institute of Dermatology from February 2022 to February 2023 were selected as the research objects. According to different treatment plans, they were divided into control group and observation group, with 40 patients in each group. The control group was treated with disodium glycyrrhetate, and the observation group was treated with disodium glycyrrhetate combined with intensive pulsed light. The clinical efficacy, skin barrier function index, symptom improvement and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results The total effective rate of treatment in the observation group was 97.50%, which was higher than 80.00% in the control group (P <0.05). After treatment, TEWL, epidermal water content and erythema area in the observation group were better than those in the control group (P <0.05). After treatment, the symptom score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P >0.05). Conclusion Disodium glycyrrhetate combined with intensive pulsed light is effective in the treatment of rosacea, which is helpful to promote the recovery of skin barrier function and improve related symptoms, and will not increase the incidence of adverse reactions. It has high safety and is worthy of clinical application.