Rosacea

Summary

Rosacea is a constellation of features that include some or all of the following that appear on facial skin: stinging, sensitivity, redness, visible fine veins, flushing, sweating, pustules and red lumps.
Treatment consists of creams, oral antibiotics and intense pulsed light or laser therapy.

What Causes Rosacea?

The risk factors for rosacea appear to be a fair skin and sun exposure. The exact cause is not known. Tea, coffee, alcohol and spicy foods seems to trigger bouts of Rosacea in some people but most people find that Rosacea waxes and wanes without reason.

What is a rosacea?

Rosacea appears to have two processes at work. Some people have features of one of them and some a mixture of both.

Rosacea can be just an exaggerated response to the normal changes that occur in skin as a result of exposure to sunlight. In its pure form this consists of a large number of visible fine veins on the face with an increased tendency for the skin to redden or flush with anything that increases skin blood flow. Skin blood flow increases when the body needs to cool down after exercise, in hot environments and after drinking alcohol and spicy foods.

Rosacea can also be a form of acne. In this form pustules and red nodules appear in the skin and the skin can be sore and easily irritated by cosmetics and washing products. The eyes can become sore and there can be a tendency to sweat more easily.

What Will Happen To Rosacea?

For most people the condition comes and goes. The unfortunate few have the condition all the time.

How Can Rosacea Be Treated?

This depends upon which type of Rosacea you have.

The red veins, increased skin colour and flushing can only be treated with intense pulsed light therapy or laser therapy. Most people find that this will also reduce the tendency to develop pustules and lumps.

Pustules and lumps respond to oral antibiotics within a few days. You can just take intermittent courses as and when needed. Pustules and lumps also respond to creams and gels but they take weeks to work and must be used every day even if the skin is clear which requires patience and discipline.

How Can Rosacea Be Prevented?

Wearing a sunscreen will help prevent outbreaks of pustules and red lumps in sunny weather and, in the long run, help prevent Rosacea for getting worse. Avoiding alcohol when tired and dehydrated helps prevent flushing.