What is Rosacea?
Rosacea (rose-AY-sha) is a common skin disease that causes redness and swelling on the face with small boils or pimples.
How does Rosacea appear?
Rosacea may begin as a tendency to flush or blush easily, and progress to persistent redness in the centre of the face that may gradually involve the cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. It may also involve the ears, chest and back.
As Rosacea progresses, small blood vessels and tiny pimples begin to appear on and around the reddened area; however, unlike acne, there are no blackheads or comedones.
The pimples of rosacea appear on the face as small, red bumps, some of which may contain pus. These may be accompanied by the development of many tiny blood vessels on the surface of the skin and persistent redness of the face. Face becomes reddish & warmth due to sun exposure, stressful conditions etc.
Why do you get Rosacea?
Exact cause for Rosacea is not known. Hormonal changes, H.Pylori infection in gut, Demodex mite in the facial skin, abnormalities in facial blood vessels have been attributed.
Those most likely to develop Rosacea are fair skinned adults, especially women, between ages of 30-50, although it may affect men or women of any age and even children. For some unknown reason women get rosacea more often than men, and some cases of this disorder have been associated with menopause.
Who gets Rhinophyma in Rosacea?
In more advanced cases of rosacea, a condition called rhinophyma may develop. The oil glands enlarge causing a bulbous, enlarged red nose and puffy cheeks. Thick bumps can develop on the lower half of the nose and nearby cheeks. Rhinophyma occurs less commonly in women.
What are the other problems in Rosacea?
About 50% of people with rosacea have eye involvement. They experience burning and grittiness of the eyes known as conjunctivitis. If this condition is not treated it can lead to more serious complications for the eyes.
How long Rosacea will continue?
The condition rarely reverses itself and may last for years. It can become worse without treatment.
What are the aggravating factors in Rosacea?
In Rosacea patient the face becomes red full of boils with irritation due to the following factors:
Alcohol, smoking, Coffee, Tea, Hot & spicy food, hot bath, steam bath, mental stress, standing in front of fire (stove) Sun exposure, steroid creams, cosmetics.
Dos and don’ts for Rosacea patients:
The best prevention for rosacea may be to avoid things that make the face red or flushed.
Avoid hot drinks, spicy foods, caffeine and alcoholic beverages & smoking.
Avoid hot baths, sauna & steam bath.
Practice good sun protection, this includes limiting exposure to sunlight, wearing hats and using broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF of 15 or higher and avoiding extreme hot and cold temperatures, which may exacerbate the symptoms of rosacea.
While cooking food, use an exhaust fan above the stove; place a small fan behind, so that hot air doesn’t come on the face.
Avoid rubbing, scrubbing or massaging the face. Rubbing will tend to irritate the reddened skin.
Exercise in a cool environment.
Avoid irritating cosmetics and facial products. Use hair sprays properly.
Keep a diary of flushing episodes and note associated foods, products, activities, medications or other triggering factors.
Treatment options for Rosacea:
Many people with rosacea are unfamiliar with it and do not recognize it in the early stages. Identifying the disease is the first step to controlling it.
Self diagnosis and treatment are not recommended, as some over the counter skin applications may make it worse.
General Measures for Rosacea:
It is important to eliminate factors that cause additional skin irritation.
Daily facial products such as soap, moisturizers and sunscreens should be free of alcohol or other irritating ingredients.
Avoid all cosmetics, use gentle facial cleanser to wash the face.
Good sunscreen lotion with SPF more than 15 every 4th hrly on daily basis is a must.
Specific Treatment for Rosacea:
Dermatologists often recommend a combination of treatments tailored to the individual patient. Together, these treatments can stop the progress of rosacea and sometimes reverse it.
Metronidazole/Clindamycin Gels and creams may be prescribed by a dermatologist.
Oral antibiotics tend to produce faster results than topical medications.
Oral Retinoids (Vit A cap) can control Rosacea temporarily; it should be taken under the strict supervision of dermatologist .
The persistent redness may be treated with a small electric needle or by laser surgery to close off the dilated blood vessels.
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Other Surgical Treatments for Rosacea:
Rhinophyma is usually treated with surgery. The excess tissue that has developed can be carefully removed with a scalpel, Co2 laser or through electrocautery. Dermabrasion, a surgical method that smoothes the top layer of the skin, will then help improve the look of the scar tissue.
Final word in Rosacea:
The key to successful management of rosacea is early diagnosis and treatment. It is also important to follow all of your dermatologist’s instructions. 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.