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What Is Acne Rosacea?

Acne rosacea--or, as it is more commonly known, rosacea--is a chronic skin disorder. It has distinctive, acne-like symptoms and occurs most often in adults. While a number of factors appear to trigger rosacea, the exact cause is unknown. Rosacea cannot be cured, but there are a variety of treatment options available.

  1. Definition

    • Acne rosacea occurs most frequently in light-skinned adults between the ages of 30 and 50. It is different from acne in that it occurs later in life and does not feature the whitehead and blackhead pustules common in acne. Rosacea is equally common in men and women and predominantly affects people of European descent. It is rarely seen in children or in people with dark skin.

    Causes

    • Theories for the cause of rosacea range from the presence of elevated levels of certain peptides, to a reaction to skin irritatants or medications, to a neurological abnormality causing sensory neurons to become sensitive to the point of inflammation. What is known is that certain foods and environmental factors can result in a rosacea outbreak. These triggers include exercise, stress, alcohol, cold weather, spicy food and beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee or tea.

    Symptoms

    • The symptoms of acne rosacea are distinctive. They commonly include red, flushed patches; reddish, acne-like bumps; and cysts, all located on the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Facial blood vessels may become enlarged and, if the condition is left untreated, the nose may become red and swollen. Rosacea can often affect the eyes, causing them to become dry, painful, sensitive to light and to appear pink or red.

    Diagnosis

    • Acne rosacea can be a difficult condition to diagnose since the severity differs and the symptoms may increase and decrease over time. The most common method of diagnosing rosacea is for a physician to treat the individual with medications geared for curing acne breakouts; if the symptoms do not resolve after a period of several trials, the condition is likely rosacea.

    Treatment

    • Although acne rosacea is incurable, there are a variety of viable treatments. Oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin or doxycycline are commonly prescribed. Gentle facial cleansers are recommended. A series of light treatments, using either pulsed or laser light are used. PDT, or photodynamic therapy, in which a photosensitive light is applied, then light activated is another treatment. In an attempt to not trigger rosacea outbreaks, some people avoid spicy food, hot drinks, extreme weather conditions, alcohol and caffeine.

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