Discovering Rosacea

There is a little known facial skin disorder called: Rosacea. It is pronounced: roh-ZAY-sha. this skin disorder affects approximately 14 million Americans, and 45 million individuals worldwide. The amazing fact is that most of those affected do not know that they have rosacea.

Rosacea can also appear rarely on the neck or chest but usually is seen on the face looking similar in appearance to acne. Its can cause psychological, social and even occupational difficulties if it is left untreated.

Like acne, rosacea can lower the self-confidence of the individual who has it. Rosacea's can cause the individual to cancel appointments, miss work days and lose chances for social contact as a result of embarrassment.

Rosacea symptoms are:

Reddened facial cheeks, chin, forehead or nose

Visible small blood vessels on the face

Pimples or pumps spread out over the face

Irritated and watery eyes

Cause:

At this time the cause of rosacea is still unknown. There is however, medical treatment available to alleviate the symptoms. Treatment can be started by seeing a dermatologist qualified physician for a diagnosis and treatment plan. Untreated the symptoms will worsen.

Males and females can get rosacea but it is more commonly seen in females usually between the ages of 30 and 60.

There are four classifications or subtypes for rosacea. They are: Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, ocular rosacea, papulopustular rosacea, and also phymatous rosacea.

Treatment:

The treatment is different for each individual who has rosacea because it is based on the severity and the particular subtype of rosacea that the patient has.

It is believed that there are "triggers" for the disorder so avoiding the triggers once they are known can help to prevent outbreaks of rosacea.

Basic treatments for all subtypes of rosacea are to cleanse the face with a gentle cleansing regimen that is non-irritating. It is also important to use sun protection that contain's SPF 15 or above or a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline and topical antibiotics such as metronidazole are usually prescribed to treat rosacea.

To date there is no evidence to support antihistamine effectiveness in the treatment of rosacea.

Some dermatologists have used vascular laser or Intense Pulsed Light machines as a treatment for their patients.

Some triggers that have been noted for rosacea are:

Situations that make the individual blush or flush

Exposure to extreme temperatures

Sunlight heat

Severe Sunburn

Anxiety

Stress

Cold wind

Changes in extreme temperature

Certain foods and drinks such as alcohol, and those that contain caffeine (hot tea & coffee) or spicy foods or those that contain histamines.

There are certain things that can irritate rosacea like certain medications or topical irritants such as acne and wrinkle treatments (chemical peels, microdermabrasion).

Some nasal or topical steroids have been reported to cause rosacea.

As with most diseases and disorders the sooner the individual seeks medical care the faster symptoms can clear up. Understanding the disorder is an important part to clearing it up because the link between triggers and rosacea once determined can make a real difference.

Recommended Reading

1. The Face of Rosacea
2. Different Types of Rosacea Treatments
3. Causes and Symptoms to Expect When You Have Rosacea
4. Do You Have Rosacea?
5. Understanding Rosacea-The Ins and Outs