What is
rosacea?
Rosacea (say: "rose-ay-she-ah") is a disease that affects
the skin on the face. It often begins as redness that
looks like a blush across the nose, cheeks, chin, or
forehead. As time goes on, red pimples and pus-filled
bumps may appear. Some people notice small blood vessels
across their nose and cheeks. In some people, the skin of
the nose becomes red and thick. The nose problem is
called rhinophyma (say "rye-no-fie-muh"). Rosacea can
affect the eyes. It may irritate and inflame the eyelids
and the white part of the eye. This is called
conjunctivitis.
What causes rosacea and who gets it?
No one knows the cause of rosacea. It may have more than
one cause. Rosacea tends to run in fair-skinned families
and tends to occur in people who blush easily. Symptoms
usually begin in adults between 30 and 50 years of age.
Women are more likely to get rosacea on the cheeks and
chin, but men are more likely to get rhinophyma. Rosacea
tends to be worse in men.
Can rosacea be cured?
No, but it can be treated. Rosacea is a condition that
lasts for a long time. In most people, it tends to get
better for awhile and then get worse again (flare up).
Rosacea may get much worse over time if it is not
treated. Treatment controls the symptoms and makes your
skin look better.
How is rosacea treated?
The kind of medicine your doctor wants you to use depends
on how your skin looks. Treatment generally works best
for the pimples and bumps of rosacea. The redness of the
skin is harder to treat. Medicines used to treat rosacea
include antibiotics. Your doctor may want you to use an
oral antibiotic to start with and to follow that with an
antibiotic gel or cream called metronidazole (one brand
name: MetroGel) that you put on your skin.
It may take up to two months of treatment before the skin
looks better. If your skin gets better, you can use less
of the oral antibiotic or maybe even stop taking it. You
can keep using the gel. It is hard to know how long you
will need treatment for rosacea. Each person's skin is
different, and your doctor may want to change your
treatment after awhile.
Surgery can fix rhinophyma. A doctor might remove
enlarged blood vessels on your face with a fine electric
needle or laser surgery.
What can I do to help my rosacea get better?
Certain things seem to make rosacea worse.
These include sun exposure, hot drinks, alcohol, spicy
foods, strenuous exercise, stress, and very hot and cold
temperatures. If these things make your rosacea worse,
you may want to avoid them as much as possible.
Gentle skin care is best. Your doctor may want you to use
a mild soap and a moisturizer, and use a sunscreen with
an SPF of 15 or higher on a regular basis when you are
outside.