More information about Rosacea

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that affects many adults and creates symptoms of small, red bumps on the skin. Red bumps may be pus-filled, and the severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Rosacea often affects the skin on the nose, forehead, cheeks, and chin.

Common symptoms of different rosacea subtypes can include:

• Redness on the cheeks, forehead, and nose
• Flushed, red, or swollen skin
• Sensitive skin, Stinging or burning skin
• Bumps (possibly pus-filled) or acne on the face
• Visible broken blood vessels in the affected area
• Thickening of the skin around the nose
• Dry, rough, and scaly skin
• Irritated eyes that water
  

The acne-like condition causes a variety of emotional and physical effects. While there is no cure for rosacea, there are many treatments such as laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion, and antibiotics that are available to ease symptoms and reduce the appearance of the condition.

Rosacea

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder of the face that affects 14 million Americans. Rosacea is most prevalent among middle-aged and older adults. The condition can be both cosmetically disfiguring and socially debilitating. It is imperative to recognize rosacea early in its onset because timely treatment prevents permanent damage.

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What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects many adults. Its symptoms include the appearance of small red bumps and visible blood vessels on or near the skin's surface. Red bumps may be pus-filled, resembling pimples. Rosacea often affects the nose, forehead, cheeks, and chin skin.

The severity of symptoms varies from person to person; you might experience occasional rosacea flare-ups or the redness might remain for several weeks. However, some people with rosacea don't have any obvious signs or symptoms until they develop severe cases.

Rosacea occurs more frequently in people over 30 years old than in younger people. Most women experience rosacea during pregnancy and menopausal times.

There are four different subtypes of rosacea. Although these types occur together, their progression, frequency, and response to treatment differ.

Causes of Rosacea

The exact cause of rosacea is unknown. Researchers believe that genetics and environmental factors play a role in developing this condition. The following factors are considered to contribute to the development of rosacea:

• Eating spicy food
• Alcohol consumption
• Drinking hot tea or coffee
• Sun exposure
• Skin mites (small parasites called Demodex)
• Abnormalities in the blood vessels
• Gut bacteria stimulation (Helicobacter pylori)

Rosacea Symptoms

Not all people who have rosacea will exhibit every symptom. Some people might have no symptoms at all. People with milder forms of rosacea might notice an occasional bump or two. Other people with more moderate symptoms might have one major episode of facial flushing on a regular basis. And other people have extreme reactions which require medical attention.

Symptoms of rosacea include:

• Redness on the cheeks, forehead, and nose
• Flushed, red, or swollen skin
• Sensitive skin, stinging or burning skin
• Bumps (possibly pus-filled) or acne on the face
• Visibly broken blood vessels in the affected area
• Thickening of the skin around the nose
• Dry, rough, and scaly skin
• Irritated eyes that water

How Do I Know If I Have Rosacea?

While there is no test for rosacea, most doctors use a combination of questions and physical examination to determine whether or not someone has rosacea.

Your medical provider might ask about your diet, lifestyle, family history, allergies, medications, skin care products, and sun exposure. They might examine your face, especially your nose and cheek areas, looking for swelling, blisters, bumps, dark spots, open sores, inflammation, and other signs. If you have been diagnosed with rosacea, your dermatologist will likely perform additional tests, including taking a blood sample to check for abnormalities in your immune system.

Rosacea Treatment Options

Although there is currently no cure for rosacea, certain treatments can help reduce its effects. Depending on how severe your rosacea is and what type it is, you might need a combination of treatments to control your symptoms. Many treatments, such as laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion, and antibiotics, are available to ease symptoms and reduce the appearance of the condition.

Some patients get better with topical creams, but many find they don't work well enough. Others need oral anti-inflammatory medications or oral antibiotics to relieve the symptoms. Even though some people think antibiotics won't help, studies show that they reduce the number of flare ups.

In some cases, laser treatment may be the best option.

If you want to prevent rosacea and avoid future flare-ups, you should try to avoid the triggering factors listed above.

Coping With Rosacea

Once you know the disease and understand its causes, you'll start to find ways to deal with it naturally. In addition to avoiding triggers, you can also learn to recognize the early warning signs and treat them before they become full-fledged outbreaks.

Treatments like Botox injections and laser therapy can effectively reduce the severity of rosacea. You can also manage it with natural remedies and dietary changes. 

How Skincredible Dermatology Can Help?

Without treatment, rosacea often lasts a lifetime and may even progress to scarring. It's important to seek care right away when you first suspect that you're developing a skin condition like rosacea. The sooner you visit your dermatologist, the better your chance of getting appropriate treatment.

Rosacea specialists at Skincredible provide personalized, individualized, state-of-the-art dermatological services and medical aesthetics treatments at our office in Southern California. 

With a double board-certified dermatologist and a team of experts on your side, you can expect the best possible care. Call us at 949-545-6605 to schedule an appointment today!

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