Rosacea

May 13, 2020

4 min read

Any chronic health condition can be frustrating, but especially ones which affect a person's appearance. For people with the chronic skin condition known as rosacea, managing their symptoms can sometimes feel like a heavy struggle.

About 415 million people worldwide are living with rosacea. Keep reading to learn more about this condition and discover some helpful things to keep in mind if you or a loved one are living with it.

What is Rosacea?

Rosacea (say “roh-ZAY-sha”) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that leads to redness and other symptoms on the face. Doctors are still learning about what causes rosacea and why some people develop it by others don't. Certain risk factors for rosacea have been proposed, including:

· Age between 30 and 50

· Being fair-skinned and/or tending to blush easily

· Being of Celtic or Scandinavian decent

· Family history of rosacea or other skin conditions such as severe acne

· A personal history of severe acne

In addition to these risk factors, research has uncovered some other clues about the origins and causes of rosacea. For instance, it's been discovered that people with rosacea tend to have an overactive immune response against a certain type of bacteria called bacillus oleronius. Another type of bacteria called H. pylori also is common in people with rosacea (although it is possible to have an H. pylori infection and not have rosacea). People with rosacea also tend to have a large amount of demodex mites on their skin. Demodex mites are tiny organisms that live on everyone's skin, but appear to be more predominant in people with this condition.

In addition, some researchers believe that people with rosacea process a protein in the body called cathelicidin differently than people without this condition, which may lead to rosacea symptoms.

While none of these potential factors or issues have been proven to cause rosacea, they do provide researchers some helpful ideas on how to study this condition and investigate different treatment and prevention options.

Signs and Symptoms of Rosacea

People with rosacea often first notice intermittent flushing or redness on their cheeks, nose, chin or forehead (although the ears, back, and chest can be affected, too). These people tend to blush more easily than other people. Over time, the redness may become more persistent and "ruddy," and blood vessels in the skin may start to appear. Bumps and pimples may also develop (however, this condition is different than acne).

Symptoms of rosacea tend to be more severe in men, even though the condition is more frequently diagnosed in women. In advanced cases, rosacea may cause the nose to become larger and bumpier (rhinophyma) due to excessive skin growth and inflammation. About half of people with rosacea also experience bloodshot or watery, irritated eyes.

The exact type of signs and symptoms a person will develop depend on the specific type of rosacea they have. There are four types, and a person can have more than one type. They include:

Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: this causes symptoms like facial redness, flushing, visible blood broken vessels (spider veins), swollen and sensitive skin, skin that is dry, rough, or scaly
Papulopustular rosacea: this causes very red and acne-like breakouts of pimples or raised patches of skin called plaques; the skin may also be oily or feel very sensitive
Phymatous rosacea: this causes thickening and bumpiness of the skin; skin may be oily and the pores can look larger than usual
Ocular rosacea: this is the type of rosacea that can affect a person's eyes; they may notice burning, stinging, watery, gritty, dry, or itchy eyes that look bloodshot and are highly sensitive to light

Living with Rosacea: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Symptom Management

Having a skin condition like rosacea can present with many physical and emotional challenges. Getting the correct diagnosis is the first step in improving quality of life, because it helps ensure a person will receive appropriate treatment.

Since there's no specific test that can diagnose rosacea, a doctor (such as a dermatologist) will usually evaluate a person's skin, their medical and family history, and other tests that can rule out other types of skin conditions (like eczema, psoriasis, and lupus) before making a diagnosis. Individualized treatment plans, which mostly aim to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms and flare-ups, can include oral (Tetracycline,Doxyycycline or Minocycline )and topical medications( Metronidazole,azelaic acid ivermectin and Sodium sulfacetamide), laser therapy, and light-based therapies. Complications of rosacea, such as skin infections or psychological distress, may also require treatment. Patients with refractory disease can also benefit from Isotretnoin therapy.

For individuals with this condition, identifying and learning how to manage triggers of rosacea flare-ups is important. Surveys of people with this condition reveal the most common triggers to be:

Sunlight exposure
Stress
Heat exposure
Wind
Heavy exercise
Alcohol
Spicy foods
Humidity
Certain types of cosmetics or medications

Looking for helpful ways to manage your rosacea and improve your skin health? Need some emotional support? There are plenty of other people just like you are living with rosacea. Connect with some of them here on Healthread today.