Acne Rosacea
Both a skin and eye disorder, acne rosacea is a type of acne characterized by the appearance of pustules and vascular manifestations on the affected tissues. So far, the cause that triggers acne rosacea has not been given an explanation although it is generally admitted that the disease is favored by sun exposure. The face and the chest are the most affected body parts both by the flushing and the pustules outbreak, and the disease tends to get worse after spicy food, hot drinks and alcohol.
It appears that acne rosacea has been reported in more women than men, with the preponderance of the condition in the middle-aged group. Thus, the majority of patients are people between 30 and 60, with the mention that in the case of black complexions the identification is more difficult and often delayed. Although many assumptions have been made on the preponderance of acne rosacea with fair-skinned people, the theory is not supported by clinical evidence.
The acne lesions characteristic to the disease usually appear in the nose area, on the cheeks and chin, but the central part of the forehead is also commonly affected. Although the oily appearance of the skin makes acne rosacea resemble acne vulgaris, differences do exist. In traditional acne forms, comedones are widely spread, whereas with rosacea they only appear in the flush areas. Moreover, acne rosacea has a hypertrophy dimension that is not found with acne vulgaris.
Since acne rosacea is a chronic disease its evolution usually expands over several years marked by critical episodes characterized by inflammation. Most often, topical corticosteroids are applied to reduce the intensity of the symptoms and to improve the overall condition, but they cannot be prescribed for long-term therapy because of the risk to cause an atrophy or permanent vaso-dilation of the tissues. Most doctors will therefore go for the systemic treatment instead of the topical one.
Sometimes the damage caused by acne rosacea needs surgical treatment, but only an expert can decide on such a course of action. The tunable dye laser procedure and electrocautery represent the two main solutions under the circumstances, but one could also choose excision, skin grafting, dermabrasion ands so on. Do not postpone the treatment of acne rosacea because the more time passes, the more difficult will be to cure it.
