- Dermatology Unit, Conditions
Rosacea
What is
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that mainly affects the face, producing redness and pimples.
Its cause is unknown, although several factors are involved. On the one hand, the alteration of the blood vessels circulating under the skin, which become more visible in response to certain stimuli, and on the other hand, the tendency of the skin to inflammation.
It has also been found that patients with rosacea often have a history of other affected family members.
Information
How it manifests itself
Usually a dermatologist can make the diagnosis without the need for complementary examinations, simply with a detailed physical examination.
These are the symptoms:
- Patients with rosacea usually present with redness of the face, especially cheeks, nose, forehead and chin.
- This redness becomes more evident in warm environments, with exercise, or after drinking alcoholic beverages. In addition, telangiectasias, i.e. small dilations of blood vessels under the skin, are also often evident.
- On this background of redness, papules and pustules (small pimples) usually appear, some of them with pus.
- In cases of intense rosacea, with much involvement of the nose, a form called rhinophyma may develop, which consists of irregular overgrowth of the glands of the nose, producing a deformation of this region.
- Rosacea can often also affect the eyelids, producing a sensation of discomfort in the eyes, dryness, itching or inflammation.
What factors can make it worse
Anything that increases blood circulation can worsen it.
More commonly, changes in temperature, alcohol, very hot or very spicy foods, sunlight, exercise, saunas or hot baths, corticosteroids and vaso-dilator drugs used as treatment for arterial hypertension.
Treatment
Several factors are involved in the treatment: medical treatment, cosmetic treatment and hygienic-dietary measures.
It is essential to avoid all those factors previously detailed that worsen it. In addition, it is necessary to apply specific soft creams for sensitive skin with rosacea and maintain proper skin hygiene.
As for medical treatments, they consist of the application of antibiotic creams to treat the pimples that appear, and/or applying creams to reduce the redness of the face. Oral antibiotics are also available, which can be used in batches if necessary, and isotretinoin at low doses, commonly used to treat acne.
For the treatment of redness, laser is also used, which eliminates these dilated blood vessels and reduces redness.
Finally, for the treatment of rhinophyma, surgical techniques or laser ablation are necessary.
Clínica Tufet’s dermatology unit has VBeam, the most prestigious pulsed dye laser in the world, designed to treat patients with benign vascular lesions such as rosacea.
Can rosacea be cured?
Despite treatment, the disease cannot be cured, although it does attenuate the symptoms and significantly improve the appearance of the skin, bearing in mind that it can reappear if treatment is discontinued.
FAQs
What factors can make rosacea worse?
Anything that increases blood circulation can worsen it.
More commonly, changes in temperature, alcohol, very hot or very spicy foods, sunlight, exercise, saunas or hot baths, corticosteroids and vaso-dilator drugs used as treatment for arterial hypertension.
Can rosacea be cured?
Despite treatment, the disease cannot be cured, although it does attenuate the symptoms and significantly improve the appearance of the skin, bearing in mind that it can reappear if treatment is discontinued.