What is Acne Rosacea?
What is acne rosacea and how do you know if you have it??
If you answer 'yes' to any of the following questions, then you probably have rosacea.
- Does your face get bright red when you exercise?
- Do you flush, blush and have a rosy red nose when you're hot, eat spicy food or have a glass of wine?
- Do you have adult acne and break out with pimples, but you don't seem to have a problem with blackheads?
- Does your skin have lots of broken capillaries in the crease of your nose and on your cheeks?
This is the first of a five-part in-depth article series on acne rosacea.
As a dermatologist, my goal is to give you practical medical information about rosacea - like a trip to the dermatologist without a trip to the dermatologist. That's because you can do a lot on your own to help heal and control your rosacea. Also, when you understand the unique skin issues that make rosacea worse then you can avoid them. You will be surprised how much this helps.
- In this article I'll present a simple overview of rosacea.
- Next, I'll describe the symptoms of rosacea in detail.
- I'll then summarize the important supportive skin care tips from my dermatology practice. These are tips that help to prevent rosacea flare-ups and maintain rosacea remissions.
- I'll then give you some information from my practice on natural supportive diet and lifestyle choices that will help fight rosacea.
- Lastly, I'll discuss my approach to rosacea treatment, including medicines, procedures and diet advice.
What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is an inflammatory facial rash that's technically a skin disease. It's actually so common that I almost think of it as a 'skin type'. I treat a lot of rosacea patients in my dermatology practice and I have rosacea myself. I see it every day in subtle and not so subtle forms and I counsel rosacea patients constantly; I treat it, I manage it and I work around it to accomplish a variety of goals for my patients.
There is no cure for rosacea, but it is possible to have rosacea and still keep your skin looking healthy and attractive. - Dr. Cynthia Bailey Rosacea Expert and Dermatologist
The facial rash of rosacea occurs in adulthood and is a common cause of 'adult acne'. Anybody can develop rosacea, but Caucasian people are most commonly affected, especially those with Celtic or Northern European ancestors.
There are four main rosacea symptoms and you don't have to suffer from all three to qualify for the diagnosis.
What are the symptoms of rosacea?
Rosacea most commonly involves on both sides of the face. It is often even symmetric! Symptoms include:
- pimples,
- highly sensitive and red skin
- 'broken' flush-prone capillaries, and
- oil gland enlargement.
In addition to affecting the facial skin, rosacea can lead to inflammation of your eyes, called ocular rosacea.
What are the symptoms of ocular rosacea?
- Irritation and redness of the white part of your eye (the sclera)
- Inflammation of the lash-line (called blepharitis) with itching, crust, swelling and/or irritation.
Can you have rosacea with facial flaking?
Yep, rosacea often coexists with seborrheic dermatitis. Both conditions cause sensitive red facial skin and both respond to some of the same treatments. I address this skin problem combo with my Facial Flaking and Redness Solution Kit.
Rosacea is a chronic condition that continues to confound scientists. We don't know what causes it but doctors have treatments and advice that help our patients control the condition. In Part 2 of my series on rosacea I describe the symptoms in greater detail, and I share some of my treatment tips that I've developed over my 30+ years or so treating patients with this common rash.
Dermatologist's 5 Article Blog Post Series on Rosacea:
What is Acne Rosacea? (This article)
What Are the Skin Symptoms of Acne Rosacea?
Rosacea Skin Care Tips from My Dermatology Practice
Acne Rosacea; Dermatologist's Natural Treatment of Rosacea
Prescription Medication and Cosmetic Procedures to Treat Rosacea
Author: Dr. Cynthia Bailey M.D. is a Board Certified dermatologist practicing dermatology since 1987. She has done well over 200,000 skin exams during her career and authors the longest running physician written skin health blog in the world.