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What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a long-term disease that affects the skin and
sometimes the eyes. Its symptoms include redness, pimples,
and, in later stages, thicker skin. In most cases, rosacea
only affects the face.
Who Gets Rosacea?
About 14 million people in the United States have rosacea.
This disease is most common in:
- Women (especially during menopause)
- People with fair skin
- Adults between the ages of 30 and 60.
What Does Rosacea Look Like?
Rosacea has many symptoms, including the following:
- Frequent redness (flushing) of the face. Most redness
is at the center of the face (forehead, nose, cheeks, and
chin). There may also be a burning feeling and slight swelling.
- Small red lines under the skin. These lines show up when
blood vessels under the skin get larger. This area of the
skin may be somewhat swollen, warm, and red.
- Constant redness along with bumps on the skin. Sometimes
the bumps have pus inside (pimples), but not always. Solid
bumps on the skin may later become painful.
- Inflamed eyes/eyelids.
- A swollen nose. In some people (mostly men), the nose
becomes red, larger, and bumpy.
- Thicker skin. The skin on the forehead, chin, cheeks,
or other areas can become thicker because of rosacea.
How Are the Eyes Affected?
Up to 50 percent of people who have rosacea get eye
problems. Eyes can have redness, dryness, itching, burning,
excess tears, and the feeling of having sand in the eye.
The eyelids may become inflamed and swollen. The eyes
may become sensitive to light, and the person may have
blurred vision or some other kind of vision problem.
What Causes Rosacea?
Doctors don't know the exact cause of rosacea. Some
doctors think rosacea happens when blood vessels expand
too easily, causing flushing. People who blush a lot
may be more likely to get rosacea. It is also thought
that people inherit the likelihood of getting the disease.
Though not well-researched, some people say that one
or more of these factors make their rosacea worse:
- Heat (including hot baths)
- Heavy exercise
- Sunlight
- Winds
- Very cold temperatures
- Hot or spicy foods and drinks
- Drinking alcohol
- Menopause
- Emotional stress
- Long-term use of steroids on the face.
People with rosacea and pimples may think the pimples
are caused by bacteria. But no one has found a clear
link between rosacea and bacteria.
Can Rosacea Be Cured?
There is no cure for rosacea, but it can be treated
and controlled. In time the skin may look better. A
dermatologist (a doctor who works with diseases of
the skin) often treats rosacea. There are several ways
to treat rosacea.
For skin:
- Sometimes antibiotics can be put right on the skin. Other
times, oral antibiotics can be used. The skin bumps may
get better quickly, but redness and flushing are less likely
to improve.
- Small red lines can be treated with electrosurgery and
laser surgery. For some people, laser surgery improves
the skin without much scarring or damage.
- Patients with a swollen, bumpy nose can have extra skin
tissue taken off to make it smaller. Usually patients feel
this process helps their appearance.
- Some people find that green-tinted makeup is good for
hiding the skin's redness.
For the eyes:
- Most eye problems are treated with oral antibiotics.
- People who get infections of the eyelids must clean them
a lot. The doctor may say to scrub the eyelids gently with
watered-down baby shampoo or an over-the-counter eyelid
cleaner. After scrubbing, you should apply a warm (but
not hot) compress a few times a day.
- If needed, the doctor may prescribe steroid eye drops.
What Can People With Rosacea Do to Help Themselves?
You play a key role in taking care of your rosacea.
Here are a few steps to take:
- Keep a written record of when flareups happen. This can
give you clues about what bothers your skin.
- Use a sunscreen every day that protects against UVA and
UVB rays. Make sure it has a sun-protecting factor (SPF)
of 15 or higher.
- Use a mild moisturizer if it helps. Don't put irritating
products on the face.
- If your eyes have problems, follow your doctor's treatment
plan, and clean your eyelids as told.
- Talk with a doctor if you feel sad or have other signs
of depression. Some people with rosacea feel bad because
of the way their skin looks.
To read the rest of this article from the National
Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
(NIAMS), please click here: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/rosacea/ffrosacea.htm
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