What is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a disorder primarily affecting facial skin and characterized by redness occurring on cheeks, nose, chin and the forehead. This redness comes in goes in flare-ups and remissions. The primary symptoms and signs of rosacea are flushing, pimples and bumps, redness resembling a sunburn, burning or stinging sensations, redness of the eyes, and visible blood vessels. Symptoms vary, and most people only get one or two symptoms.

The cause of rosacea is not known, but it may be due to a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Factors that trigger rosacea are spicy foods, alcohol, sunlight, stress, hot baths, corticosteroids (such as prednison) and drugs that dilate blood vessels.

If left untreated, flare-ups become more frequent, and bumps and pimples begin to proliferate. Sometimes rosacea is confused for acne. In the most severe cases, the nose may become swollen with excess tissue, which causes the condition known as Rhinophyma.

Because of the many different symptoms of rosacea, this affliction is categorized into four different subtypes. The first subtype is facial redness, which is called Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. These symptoms are flushing, stinging, burning and swelling. This type of rosacea can be treated by using topical medication. The visible blood vessels can be reduced by using lasers or pulsed light therapy.

The second subtype of rosacea is the kind that causes bumps and pimps, called Papulopustular rosacea. The symptoms are pimples that come and go in big red patches. Doctors often prescribe metronidazole, azelaic acid, and sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur to treat these symptoms.

The third type of rosacea is the kind that causes skin thickening, called Phymatous rosacea. There are not a lot of treatments available for this type of rosacea. Patients suffering from phymatous rosacea should seek out surgery in the forms of cryosurgery, electrosurgery, radio frequency ablation, or surgical laser treatments.

The last form of rosacea is the kind that affects eyes, called ocular rosacea. Symptoms are watery or bloodshot eyes, tearing and burning, and swollen eye lids. Oral antibiotics and laser treatment are used to treat this form of rosacea.

Rosacea can affect anybody, but the most prone individuals are women with fair skin, between the ages of thirty to sixty and who blush easily. Although women are more likely to have rosacea, of those afflicted men have more severe symptoms. There is no cure for rosacea and the cause is unknown, but there is medication and therapy available to control and reverse signs and symptoms. Topical creams are readily available that diminish the symptoms of rosacea. Spots can be cleared with antibiotic treatment.

Rosacea is not usually painful, but it can be unsightly and distressing. It can be psychologically and emotionally impacting. It is important to seek medical care if you think you may have rosacea because it is a treatable condition. If rosacea is not treated, it could cause vascular, inflammatory conditions that get worse and possibly cause permanent damage.

There are many oral and topical medications which are prescribed to treat the bumps and pimples associated with rosacea, and there is a topical therapy that reduces facial redness. Patients should use a gentle skin-care routine to control the rosacea, such as using mild and non-abrasive cleanser and rinsing with lukewarm water. Skin-care products should be non-irritating and protecting the skin from sun exposure is of utmost importance.