Skin Disorders

Skin disorders cover a wide range of conditions, some benign, some very serious, and some even a sign of another underlying illness. A skin disorder not only affects your physical health, but also your emotional well-being.

Skin Care › Skin Disorders › Rosacea

Rosacea Treatment (With Pictures)

Rosacea (say "rose-ay-shah") is a disease that affects the skin on the face. It is an inflammatory skin condition that causes redness of the face. You may mistake some of its characteristics - small, red, pus-filled bumps or pustules - for acne. In fact, rosacea has been called adult acne or acne rosacea. Even though some people with rosacea had acne as teenagers, the disorder has little to do with the pimples and blackheads that commonly afflict teenagers.

Causes of Rosacea

The cause of rosacea is unknown. There are several theories regarding the origin of overactive facial blood vessels and inflammation, including genetic, environmental, vascular, inflammatory factors. Rosacea becomes progressively worse in many of those affected. The real cause of rosacea is now thought to be a tendency to flush and blush in a person with sun damage. Sun damages the supporting fibers of the small blood vessels just under the surface of the skin, allowing the vessels to stretch out (become permanently dilated). The damaged blood vessels leak fluid when flushing occurs, resulting in blotchy red areas.

Signs and symptoms of Rosacea

Rosacea used to be called 'acne rosacea' but it is quite different from acne. There are red spots (papules) and sometimes pustules in both conditions, but in rosacea they are dome-shaped rather than pointed and there are no blackheads, whiteheads, deep cysts, or lumps. Signs and symptoms of rosacea include: Red, bulbous nose (rhinophyma) Red areas on your face Tendency to flush or blush easily Burning or gritty sensation in your eyes (ocular rosacea) Dry and flaky facial skin R ed, sore or gritty eyelids including papules and stye.

There are four identified rosacea subtype :-

1. Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea
2. Papulopustular rosacea
3. Phymatous rosacea
4. Ocular rosacea

Treatment for Rosacea

Treating rosacea varies from patient to patient depending on severity and subtypes. Dermatologists are recommended to take a subtype-directed approach to treating rosacea patients. Treatment generally works best at improving the pimples and bumps of rosacea. The redness of the skin is harder to treat. Medicines used to treat rosacea include antibiotics, which can be applied to the skin or taken as pills. Your doctor may recommend an oral antibiotic to start with and follow that with an antibiotic gel or cream called metronidazole (one brand name: MetroGel) that you apply to your skin. It may take up to 2 months of treatment before the skin looks better, as your skin will improves the antibiotic will cut down. The most effective treatments are oral tetracycline and similar antibiotics and low-dose oral Accutane .

The red face of rosacea can often be improved with tunable dye laser treatments. This type of treatment is time consuming and expensive. It is not covered by insurance. Makeup can be an effective aid in rosacea, will not make it worse, and even some male rosacea sufferers use a bit. A slightly more olive color than usual helps to hide the redness. For some women, hormone replacement pills may be given to reduce menopausal hot flashes. Many advances have been made in recent years. Regular visits are advised for most rosacea patients.

Prevention tips

Here are some suggestions for preventing flare-ups:

• Avoid oil-based facial creams. Use water-based make-up.
• If you wear makeup, consider using green- or yellow-tinted pre-foundation creams and powders, because they're designed to counter skin redness.
• Use of sunscreen and avoidance of sunlight will help to prevent flares.
• Keep your face cool: minimize your exposure to hot or spicy foods, alcohol, hot showers and baths and warm rooms.
• Avoid facial products that contain alcohol or other skin irritants.
• Avoid overheating.