Acne Rosacea

Acne Rosacea is defined as the inflammation affecting the middle third of face which includes the nose, forehead, cheeks, eyelids and chin. The skin conditions are similar to that of acne and so its name. Redness, swelling, spider like blood vessels and skin eruptions are commonly seen in case of rosacea. The common symptoms associated with rosacea are in relation to the inflammation of the eyes, skin and nose.

Rosacea is often mistaken for acne but it is entirely different. It does not confine to the teenagers, instead it occurs at adults between the age group of 30 to 50 years. Unlike acne it does not result in the formation of black heads or white heads. It is mostly seen with people who have fair skin rather than those with the dark complexion. It does not relate to any particular sex as it happens in both men and women. But severity is seen in men even though it occurs frequently in women. Different treatments made available for acne rosacea are topical preparations like topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, plastic surgery, and the latest laser therapy.

Causes of Rosacea

Studies are being still conducted to find the real cause of acne rosacea as it has not been estimated accurately. The experts have proved the fact that the combination of genetic predisposition as well as environmental factors might be the major cause of the disease. Another finding indicates that the skin condition is seen among people who usually blush and so it is limited to the blush areas of the face. Blushing is stimulated due to different reasons such as fear, stress, embarrassment, anxiety and other emotional factors and thus enhances rosacea. Weather changes such as humidity change and alternation of winds could also be the reason for rosacea other than the exposure to ultra violet radiation of sun.

An additional finding indicates that the mites present in the hair follicles could also result in rosacea. The major organism associated with the disease is Helicobacter pylori which are usually found to be in relation with stomach ulcers. It is the bacteria which is present in the gastrointestinal tract especially the stomach. In some studies it has proved that stomach plays a major role in the development of the disease. This is because of hormone produced by it which enhances the process of skin blushing. Vasodilators which come under medications also play a major role in the cause of the disease even though it is estimated to be the one widening blood vessels.

Symptoms of Acne Rosacea

The primary sign which is observed before noticing the symptoms of rosacea is that they start blushing very easily and the skin becoming sensitive too. The sensitivity of the skin is found out mainly by the application of facial products which would produce inflammation like sun burn which is the characteristic feature of rosacea. In the beginning the inflammation occurs at intervals after disappearing for a while.

Other includes vascular rosacea, frequent blushing and inflammatory rosacea. In the primary stage, blushing involves the middle part of the face including nose, eyes, eye lids, cheeks, chin and forehead. Along with blushing, a burning sensation is also experienced especially after the topical application of beauty products and this would turn the skin to be reddish.

Rosacea could last for years and if it is left untreated, the situation would certainly worsen. But papules and pustules is a common phenomenon along with telangiectasia. Papules are referred to as the red bumps which are inflammatory and the bumps which are filled with pus are termed as pustules. Eyes are affected only in about fifty percent of cases and it includes irritation, tearing and burning of the eyes. Swelling of eyelids is also a common factor and it results due to infection.

Treatments of Acne Rosacea

Control of acne rosacea is the only solution for preventing it as there are no cures figured out till now. The treatment might sometimes flare up the disease. This is because the symptoms of rosacea differ with time and individuals. Therefore treatment should be highly dependent on the severity as well as the subtype of rosacea. In case of the treatment given to the eyes, it is highly recommended to consult the doctor first. Different treatment procedures are:

• Topical Preparations: For topical application to treat rosacea, three products have been recommended by the U.S Food and Drug Administration which include sodium sulfacetamide, azaleic acid, sulfur and metronidazole. The topical applications are available in different forms which include solutions, gels, creams and ointments. The application is directly onto the face. Other topical antibiotics are erythromycin and Clindamycin. The most preferred and commonly used antibiotic for treating rosacea is the gel or cream form of metronidazole.
• Oral Antibiotics: To control rosacea different oral antibiotics are administered which include erythromycin, clarithromycin, monocycline, azithromycin, tetracycline and doxycycline. Oral antibiotics have proved to be effective than the topical application in case of acne rosacea with papules and pustules. But the only problem related to oral antibiotics is that it proves to cause side effects for some individuals.
• Laser Therapy: The broken vessels in the skin are removed by the process of Laser therapy. On the other hand another technique known as vascular laser therapy is implemented to reduce skin thickening and red bumps. The appearance of the skin is also improved by this therapy.
• Plastic Surgery: Surgery is opted for those patients whose skin had been thickened severely. In case of acne rosacea it is considered to be an outpatient method and is conducted in the doctor's office, clinic or even at the outpatient department of the hospital under the administration of local anesthetic.

Apart from the treatment methods for the disease, the most important of all is the emotional support which relates to any psychological issues of the patient. This proves to provide a moral support to the individual.