The most commonly manifested symptoms of rosacea are increased redness of the face and eruption of small acne like skin outbreaks. Treatment involves avoiding the triggering factors, and using topical medicine and oral pills.
Rosacea is an unpleasant skin condition, characterized by abnormal redness of the facial skin. It is sometimes called acne rosacea, as the symptoms often include pimple or acne like skin outbreaks. The symptoms may develop on any part of the face, including the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin portions. Timely treatment is imperative, as an untreated condition results in exacerbation of the symptoms in due course of time.
The exact causes of rosacea are not known to medical experts. Nevertheless, it is observed that the occurrence rate of this skin problem is higher among Caucasian who have lighter skin tone. Also, women are more prone to it than men. In most cases, it affects people in the age group 30 – 60. This condition is not complicated, unless related to the eyes. Many a time, people who are affected may not even be aware of their skin condition.
The symptoms are often confused with acne vulgaris, eczema, and dermatitis. In contrary to these skin diseases, rosacea is mostly concentrated in the facial parts. Other adjacent areas like the ears, scalp, neck, and chest are rarely affected. Skin examination by a qualified dermatologist is the only reliable approach to confirm rosacea.
- Mild flushing of the facial skin that looks like slight sunburn. This skin sign may come and go. It is caused as a result of increased blood circulation in the enlarged blood vessels.
- Persistent reddening of the face, which may last from a few to several days. In men, skin redness is usually seen on the nose, while skin reddening is observed on almost all facial parts in women.
- In an affected individual, small red veins are visible, particularly on the cheeks, that resemble spider webs. These are caused due to increased blood flow, which in turn results in dilation of the blood vessels.
- Hypersensitivity of the facial skin to skin care products like lotions, moisturizers, and creams. Most patients complain of a burning sensation while applying topical medication and moisturizer.
- Increased sensitivity to sunlight, temperature, and humidity. Generally, the affected skin appears dry, irrespective of the weather conditions. Eruption of small papules and pus-filled pustules are also common.
- An advanced condition of rosacea observed in male patients is rhinophyma. In such a case, the nose appears waxy, bulbous, and enlarged due to presence of knobby bumps.
Ocular rosacea is a subtype of rosacea, wherein redness, irritation, and swelling are observed in the eyes and eyelids. Likewise, there are other subtypes which are classified in accordance to the observed skin condition. In case these symptoms are observed in and around the eyes, immediate medical attention is a must to reduce avoid any complication. If left untreated for an extended period, ocular rosacea may worsen, resulting in blurred vision and many other eye-related problems.
These symptoms may become more pronounced after being exposed to sunlight, stress, and temperature fluctuations. Other factors that may aggravate it are spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, rigorous exercise, facial skin care products, underlying disease, medications, and food allergens. Thus, natural treatment begins with identifying the triggers and avoiding them as far as possible.
One of the disheartening concern is that there is no specific cure for rosacea. Therapeutic intervention is indicated to minimize the recurrent flare-ups, and manage the inflammatory symptoms. With proper skin care and treatment, most patients receive prompt results in reducing the troublesome symptoms.
