Rosacea

A disorder involving chronic inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids; it may cause redness, vascularity (increased prominence of the blood vessels), swelling or hyperplasia (increase in size of the tissue), or skin eruptions similar to acne.

Causes, incidence and risk factors

The cause of rosacea is unknown. The disorder involves enlargement of the blood vessels just under the skin. It occurs most often in fair skinned people, particularly those who blush easily. Women are more commonly affected, but men are usually more severely affected. Symptoms usually begin between ages 30 to 50. Rosacea may be associated with other skin disorders (acne vulgaris, seborrhea) or eye disorders (blepharitis, keratitis).

Physician’s Treatment

There is no cure known for rosacea. The treatment at the Ailesbury Clinic is aimed at the control of redness, inflammation, and skin eruptions through the use of topical or oral anti-biotics or laser therapy. Long-term treatment (5 to 8 weeks or more) with oral antibiotics such as tetracycline may control skin eruptions. Oral medications similar to Vitamin A (isoretinol or Accutane) are also used as adjunctive treatment.

The Aurora Laser System uses both optical and electrical energy to effectively control the dilated blood vessels or telengectasia commonly seen during this condition. Radio-surgery may also be used to improve the cosmetic appearance of rhinophyma or sebaceous gland hyperplasia that is commonly seen with this condition.

The treatment of skin eruptions may also include long-term treatment with topical (applied to a localized area of the skin) antibiotics such as metronidazole. In severe cases, laser surgery may help reduce the redness. Surgical reduction of the nose hyperplasia may also improve the patient’s cosmetic appearance. Expectations (prognosis) Rosacea is not medically dangerous. It is not curable, but usually is controllable with treatment.