Rosacea

Rosacea is a common skin disease that causes redness, papules, and swelling on the face. Often referred to as adult acne, rosacea frequently begins as a tendency to flush or blush easily. It may progress to persistent redness in the center of the face that may gradually involve the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. The eyes, ears, chest, and back may also be involved. With time, small blood vessels and tiny pimples begin to appear on and around the reddened area; however, unlike acne, there are no blackheads.

When rosacea first develops, the redness may come and go. Some people may flush or blush and never form pustules or papules. Small dilated vessels may also be present. However, when the skin doesn't return to its normal color, and when other symptoms such as pimples and enlarged blood vessels become visible, it's best to seek advice from a board-certified dermatologist. The condition may last for years, rarely reverse itself, and can become worse without treatment.

How to Recognize Rosacea

Small red bumps, some of which may contain pus, appear on the face. These may be accompanied by persistent redness and the development of many tiny blood vessels on the surface of the skin.

In more advanced cases, a condition called rhinophyma may develop. The oil glands enlarge causing a bulbous, red nose, and puffy cheeks. Thick bumps may develop on the lower half of the nose and nearby cheeks. Rhinophyma occurs more commonly in men.

Who is at Risk for Rosacea?

Anyone can get Rosacea. It is more common in fair skinned adults between the ages of 30 and 50. Since it may be associated with menopause, women are affected more often than men and may likely have an extreme sensitivity to cosmetics. In people of color, studies show that early symptoms can often be missed and may be under diagnosed because dark skin can mask facial redness. Few children get rosacea, but it is worth considering if the signs and symptoms are there.

Tips for Rosacea Patients

• Avoid triggers, including hot drinks, spicy foods, caffeine and alcoholic beverages that make the face red or flushed. It's important to note that although alcohol may worsen rosacea, the condition may be just as severe in someone who doesn't drink at all; thus rosacea has been unfairly linked to alcoholism.
• Practice good sun protection. Seek shade when possible and limit exposure to sunlight, wear hats and use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF of 15 or higher; reapply every 2 hours.
• Avoid extreme hot and cold temperatures which may exacerbate the symptoms of Rosacea. Exercise in a cool environment. Do not overheat.
• Avoid rubbing, scrubbing or massaging the face.
• An occasional embarrassment or a tense moment also may trigger flushing.
• Avoid cosmetics and facial products that contain alcohol. Use hair sprays properly, avoiding contact with facial skin.
• Keep a diary of flushing episodes and note associated foods, products, activities, medications or other triggering factors.

Treatment

Many people with Rosacea are unfamiliar with it and do not recognize it in its early stages. Identifying the disease is the first step to controlling it. Self-diagnosis and treatment are not recommended since some over-the-counter skin products may make the problem worse.

Dermatologists often recommend a combination of treatments tailored to the individual patient. These treatments can stop the progress of rosacea and sometimes reverse it.

• Creams, lotions, foams, washes, gels, and pads that contain various topical antibiotics, metronidazole, sulfcetimide, benzoyl peroxide, and retinoids may be prescribed. A slight improvement can be seen in the first three to four weeks of use. Greater improvement is usually noticed in two months.

• Oral antibiotics tend to produce faster results than topical medications. Cortisone creams may reduce the redness of rosacea; however, they should not be used for longer than two weeks since they can cause thinning of the skin and flare-ups upon discontinuation. It is best to use these creams only under the direction of a dermatologist.

• Cosmetics may be helpful. Green tinted makeup may mask the redness.

• HydraFacial MD® treats rosacea by gently exfoliating the uppermost layer of skin and extracting impurities and dead skin cells through a patented vortex suction method. Then, it infuses a calming serum packed with antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid. Maintenance treatments are recommended on a monthly basis or as needed.

• Relief From Rosacea With V-Beam Laser Therapy. V-Beam laser is a pulse-dye laser that delivers short bursts of light to the treatment area. The light beam targets and coagulates broken and damaged blood vessels and vascular lesions so they may be naturally reabsorbed by your body during the healing process.

• For rhinophyma, surgery is usually the main treatment to: Reshape a disfigured nose, remove tissue overgrowth & minimize enlarged blood vessels.

The key to successful management of Rosacea is early diagnosis and treatment. Rosacea can be treated and controlled if medical advice is sought in the early stages. When left untreated, Rosacea will get worse and may be more difficult to treat.