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Rosacea, an inflammatory skin disease that causes facial erythema (redness), currently affects 14 million Americans. A chronic, non life-threatening condition, rosacea is often mistaken for adult acne, skin allergies, or eczema. It usually affects adults between the ages of 30 and 60 and presents as inflammation and dryness on the nose, cheeks, forehead, eyes, eyelids, and chin. It may also appear as redness on the neck, ears, chest or back. Women and fair-skinned people are most prone to the condition.

Signs and symptoms vary and usually occur in stages: pre-rosacea, vascular rosacea, and inflammatory rosacea.

PRE-ROSACEA

The earliest indication of rosacea may begin as a tendency to blush easily. This may occur for several years before any additional symptoms arrive. It can resemble sunburn and occurs when tiny microvessels near the skin's surface become dilated. The blush may then progress to constant redness across the cheeks and nose.

VASCULAR ROSACEA

As the condition worsens, vascular rosacea can develop resulting in a flushed face with red lines (telangiectasia.) Telangiectasia develops when the blood vessels on the nose and cheeks swell and become visible. Hyper-sensitivity of the skin may also occur.

INFLAMMATORY ROSACEA

Inflammatory rosacea develops in the form of small, red bumps or pus-filled pimples when the disease progresses. These are not ordinary acne but rosacea acne and will appear across the nose, forehead, cheeks, and chin.

More than 50 percent of rosacea patients also suffer from ocular rosacea. Signs include a burning, gritty feeling in the eyes, inflamed and swollen eyelids, the inner eyelid skin can appear inflamed and scaly, the eyes become bloodshot, and eyelashes may fall out. If ocular rosacea occurs, your dermatologist may refer you to an ophthalmologist.

In rare cases, usually with patients that haven't sought treatments, rhinophyma (nasal bumps) may occur. More common in men, it develops when oil glands in the nose become enlarged giving the appearance of swelling.

CAUSES

There is not one definitive cause. Four potential causes include:

1. Chronic bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal system.

2. Demodex folliculorum (tiny mites) in facial hair follicles that clog gland openings.

3. Sun-damaged skin.

4. Hereditary and environmental factors.

TRIGGERS

1. Spicy foods.

2. Hot beverages.

3. Alcohol.

4. Sunlight.

5. Stress.

6. Extreme temperatures or winds.

7. Saunas, hot tubs or hot baths.

8. Corticosteroids.

9. Some blood pressure medications.

TREATMENTS

1. Topical antibiotics: Metrocream, Metrogel, Noritate.

2. Rosacea cleansers: Cetaphil, Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser, Eucerin Redness Relief.

3. Oral antibiotics: erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline.

4. Laser therapy.

5. For extreme cases: Accutane.

TO REDUCE FLARE-UPS

1. Wear sunscreen.

2. Avoid facial products containing alcohol, eucalyptus, menthol, or peppermint.

3. Moisturize.

4. Avoid excess alcohol.

5. Avoid overheating.

Currently there's no cure for rosacea but working with a trusted dermatologist can greatly decrease the disease's symptoms. Because the emotional effects of rosacea can often be worse than the physical symptoms, rosacea sufferers should seek treatment as early to the onset as possible. When actively treated, rosacea can be controlled and managed.

Learn more about this author, Barb Hopkins.
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