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What You Need to Know About Rosacea
There's a fancy word for everything. Common redness-of-the-face, for example, is often called rosacea. It sounds fancy but it's not. It's a common affliction among many that is not well understood.
The good news is that Dr. Melinda Gooderham knows all about it, and we're here to share with you some of her top insights and tips on how to identify and control rosacea.
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Is rosacea just facial redness?
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition, which consists of facial erythema (redness) as well as papules and pustules; the erythema can present as facial flushing, persistent redness and telangiectasia (surface capillaries). Rosacea can also affect the eyes (ocular rosacea) causing inflammation of the eyelid and a gritty sensation inside the eye and may cause a thickening of the skin of the nose, typically in middle aged men (rhinophyma).
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Can rosacea occur in children?
Rosacea is usually not present in children, and the average age of onset is between 30 and 50 years of age, but can present at any point. Other more common conditions in children such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis or acne should be considered in children before a diagnosis of rosacea.
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Is it hormone related?
No, rosacea can occur in both men and women, as well as both pre- and post-menopausal women and therefore, is not likely related to hormones. Sometimes the symptoms can be exacerbated by hot flashes one might experience during menopause.
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Is rosacea caused by a bacteria?
Rosacea is not a bacterial infection, however, there are theories that link the inflammatory cascade of rosacea to a small organism, the Demodex mite which is a natural inhabitant of our skin. One theory proposes that it is the bacteria within the mite that may be the true culprit.
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How can symptoms be recognized and minimized?
The symptoms of rosacea can be recognized by redness or easy flushing of the skin, which may also include an outbreak of papules and pustules; people who suffer from rosacea also report very sensitive skin.
The symptoms can be minimized by avoiding the triggers of rosacea, such as sun, stress, hot beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, cold wind as well as using skin care products designed for sensitive skin.
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What’s the difference between acne vs rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition related to a disordered immune reaction to a yet unidentified trigger (possibly the Demodex mite or bacteria within the mite), where as acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit (pore and oil glands) caused by a combination of disordered keratinization, increased sebum production, and an inflammatory reaction to the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria.
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Do elimination diets help? How important is it to eliminate foods that act as 'triggers' from your everyday diet?
Elimination diets have not proved successful in the management of rosacea for most patients, however, if there is a specific trigger that is noted to cause a flare (alcohol or wine, spicy foods, hot beverages) then these should be consumed in moderation or avoided if possible.
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What are some of the most common 'triggers'?
The most common triggers are sun exposure, cold winds, stress or embarrassment, hot beverages, alcoholic beverages mainly wine, spicy foods. Other triggers include hot baths or showers, corticosteroids.
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Does stress contribute to the onset of rosacea?
Stress can be a major triggering factor for some patients who suffer from rosacea because of a link with stress and our immune system.
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Can rosacea be diagnosed before a flare up?
You can see early signs of rosacea such as facial erythema, burning, stinging, sensitive skin and few mild outbreaks of papules; this may be progressive in some individuals and may become moderate to severe.
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Are there any tests for rosacea?
There are no specific tests to diagnose rosacea, however, if there is not a clear diagnosis, a skin biopsy can be done to confirm a diagnosis. This is not a preferred method, since it can leave a scar and usually rosacea is diagnosed based on clinical presentation of signs and symptoms.
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What options are available to control symptoms of rosacea—redness, bumps and lesions?
There are multiple treatment options available to control the symptoms of rosacea including both topical and oral medications. Topical medications to control the papules and pustules include metronidazole, azelaic acid, sodium sulfacetamide and erythromycin; oral medications include antibiotics such as tetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline. There is a new treatment available for the facial erythema and flushing associated with rosacea called brimonidine and is available as a topical gel applied daily.
See the rest of our helpful info on the treatment and prevention of rosacea.