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Rosacea

Understanding Rosacea: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin disease and the most common symptom is persistent redness in the face. It mostly affects the mid-section of the patient's facial features. This is a disorder that continues long-term! The signs often appear in people between the ages of thirty and sixty, and when you have  Rosacea, you will usually experience a relapsing-remitting pattern. During each and every relapse episode, you will see small, red pimples on the skin. To manage these symptoms, a patient should go for lifestyle modifications, topical skin care, and take certain medications. If one wishes, they can also try surgical procedures! Continue reading to find out Rosacea symptoms, Rosacea causes, diagnosis, and everything else about this condition. 

What is Rosacea?


Rosacea is a long-term, inflammatory skin disease that often affects the face and can produce flushing and skin irritation. Blood vessel irritation might be the cause of Rosacea, and pus-filled pimples, and inflamed skin are the primary signs! Roughly 20% of the population have rosacea, which is a prevalent condition, but the real frequency of Rosacea may be much higher as patients often get the incorrect diagnosis. 

If you are looking for treatment, you need to know that there isn't a Rosacea treatment that can cure the condition! The good thing is, patients can use various therapies to address the symptoms. Sun exposure too frequently irritates the skin even more!  


What are the Common Causes of Rosacea? 


Experts disagree on the exact Rosacea causes! A lot of researchers think the following elements might be involved so take a look.


  • Helicobacter pylori - The synthesis of bradykinin, a tiny polypeptide that causes blood vessels to widen, is stimulated by these gut bacteria! That is why, according to experts, this bacteria could be involved in the development of Rosacea in the patient.
  • Demodex folliculorum - This is a type of mite that rarely causes skin issues! But remember, that those who have Rosacea typically have higher concentrations of these mites than others. This leads researchers to believe that there is a relationship between this mite and the Rosacea condition. 


Family history can also play some part in Rosacea! Many Rosacea sufferers have a close relative who also has the condition, and for long-term too. This means that a genetic part could be the cause of the Rosacea disease at least in some patients.  

Common Types of Rosacea 


Rosacea doesn't just have one type! As a matter of fact, there are four types of Rosacea. Take a look:

Ocular - Rosacea can make your eyes feel watery or bloodshot! Be careful that painful lumps called sties may also sometimes develop on your eyelids, which causes long irritation. 

Erythematotelangiectatic - Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea is a chronic condition! It results in facial redness and swollen, noticeable blood vessels. Symptoms of this type of Rosacea suddenly appear in the sufferer and go away after some time!

Papulopustular - The patient's skin develops fluid-filled pimples in this Rosacea type! The symptoms resemble those of acne, which is why, it is harder to diagnose.

Phymatous - Your skin thickens and swells as a result of this Rosacea disease! Your nose is usually the first place to show signs of rough skin caused by it.  


Symptoms of Rosacea  


Wondering how to know if I have Rosacea? Each person with this skin condition has different Rosacea symptoms and signs, but those with paler skin tend to have higher rates of Rosacea. Let us take a look at the most common  symptoms:


  • Visible blood vessels - This condition, also known as spider veins or telangiectasia, typically affects the cheekbones, nasal bridge, and other central facial regions.
  • Skin thickening and discoloration - Excess skin tissue may cause the skin to thicken! A condition called Rhinophyma can result from this. Here is a fact, Rhinophyma primarily affects men more than women and typically affects the nose area of the patient. This will show like sunburn or blush (results from the expansion of small blood vessels).
  • Eye irritation - Individuals may have bloodshot, watery, or irritated eyes. Red, swollen eyelids are prevalent! The occurrence of styes could also be possible. About half of all Rosacea patients experience visual problems. Only one good thing, vision blurring is an uncommon factor.
  • Flushing and pimples on the face - The skin of your face may feel uncomfortably heated when you have this. The heated-feeling may extend from the face to your neck and even the chest area! Tiny and red pimples that look very much like acne, and can be pus-filled too, may also appear on the face.


Available Rosacea Treatment Options


No more worries about how to treat it! Each person's Rosacea treatment plan is unique! These focus on symptom relief or reduction, as well as, keeping the condition from becoming worse which can often happen in the future. The most common Rosacea therapy includes the following options.


Medication - Simplest and most common treatment is this one! A considerable number of oral and topical medications are available! To address Rosacea-related pimples and redness on the facial region, these medications assist you to control your symptoms. Why not at least try to lower the chances of flare-ups? Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics, such as the very useful doxycycline, to lessen zits and bumps on your affected area! Brimonidine gel for erythema reduction also works! Creams with metronidazole, ivermectin, or azelaic acid, too, help with reduced bumps and pimples. 

Laser treatment - Want another good option? Laser treatment is another common Rosacea therapy. In this, doctors use lasers to treat swollen blood vessels! This treatment frequently functions better than a cream, gel, or medication for Rosacea. 

Topical Gels - Why not take advantage of the easy gel application? Your doctor may prescribe a medicated version of a topical gel that can be applied to the affected area of the skin! This will be given to you if you have mild to moderate Rosacea symptoms. Common medications that lessen flushing by narrowing blood arteries are oxymetazoline (Rhofade) and brimonidine (Mirvaso)! Mostly, expect to see benefits twelve hours after using these products. However, you need to remember that excessive usage might make flushing worse, so be careful! That is why it is recommended you use it only before significant affairs rather than casually using it every day. 


The Diagnosis Process of Rosacea 


Never be in distress! Your doctors usually diagnose it after looking at the skin and getting proper information about your symptoms and usual trigger points. It is true that there is no clinical test that can diagnose the condition! As we have already mentioned before, Rosacea mostly affects the face, and this helps physicians to become able to differentiate it from other skin disorders. It also becomes easier if there are enlarged blood vessels present that are very visible! 


And what happens next? Keep reading to know that! The doctor could prescribe blood tests or recommend that the patient see a dermatologist if they think the patient might have an underlying medical problem, such as lupus, which is bad. Quick treatment and early detection of Rosacea can really lower the chance of additional development. Which is why, patients should see a doctor immediately if they experience inflammatory issues affecting their face. 

Final Remarks


Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin disorder. It can produce redness on the face, and some forms of the illness might also result in skin edema and pimples as well. Looking for cures that are easy to use? Know that there isn't a total cure for this ailment! But don't worry so much, you can manage it with medication and topical products, which is comforting news.

Be mindful that each Rosacea patient is affected by Rosacea differently; the treatment options depend on the severity of the Rosacea condition. Doctors who treat this will prescribe a treatment method only after checking the patient thoroughly and learning about their Rosacea symptoms and flare-up incidents. 

Dr. Sheilly Kapoor
Dermatology
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