What is Rosacea and Can You Treat It?

What is rosacea?

If you have blemishes on your face that seem like acne and your face looks flushed, you may have rosacea. It's a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder that produces facial flushing and visible blood vessels. Small pus-filled pimples may also appear.

Rosacea is frequently misdiagnosed as eczema, acne, eczema, or contact dermatitis, but they're very different. Although there is no cure for rosacea, the symptoms can be managed with lotions and drugs.

Rosacea affects more women than men, and it generally appears after the age of 30. Females of Caucasian ancestry with blonde hair and blue eyes are also more likely to have this illness.

What are the different types of rosacea?

There are four main types of rosacea:

• Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (subtype 1) - This type is associated with symptoms like flushing or redness on the face and visible blood vessels.

• Papulopustular rosacea (subtype 2) - This type is more common in middle-aged women and involves more pimple-like breakouts on the face, including flushing and swelling of the face.

• Phymatous rosacea (subtype 3) - This is also known as rhinophyma because it is related to the swelling of the skin of your nose. This is more common in men than women and you can see thick, bumpy skin on other areas of the face as well.

• Ocular rosacea (subtype 4) - This subtype is related to the eyes, where redness and irritation are persistent, accompanied by swollen eyelids.

How can you identify it?

The symptoms of rosacea often vary from one individual to another, especially according to a variation in types. The following symptoms are primarily noticed depending on the type you have:

• Facial redness and flushing - Rosacea can produce flushing or blushing in the centre region of the face. This might seem like a persistent blush or sunburn, and it occurs when hundreds of small blood vessels near the skin's surface enlarge.

• Bumps and breakouts - Many people who have rosacea get acne-like blemishes on their faces, and these bumps may be filled with pus.

• Thickening of skin - Excess skin tissue can cause the skin to thicken, resulting in pimples that cover vast portions of the face.

• Blood vessels becoming visible - This condition, also known as spider veins or telangiectasia, affects the nose bridge, cheeks and other areas of the central face where blood vessels become apparent.

• Burning sensation on the skin - The skin in the afflicted area may be hot and irritated, with a burning or stinging sensation.

• Swollen nose - Rosacea causes the skin of the nose to thicken over time, making the nose appear swollen (rhinophyma), and this typically affects males more than women.

• Eye issues - People's eyes may be moist, itchy, or red, and, in a few rare situations, the eyelids might become red and puffy, and vision can become obscured.

How is it caused?

There isn’t a known exact cause of rosacea but experts have identified certain factors that can increase your risk of developing the condition.

• Bacteria - Helicobacter pylori, a type of gut bacteria, stimulates the formation of bradykinin, a tiny polypeptide that causes blood vessels to widen and this may cause rosacea.

• Blood vessel issues - Facial flushing and spider veins, according to dermatologists, are caused by anomalies in the blood vessels of the face. They don't know what causes inflammation in the blood vessels, though.

• Mites - Demodex folliculorum is a skin mite that normally does not cause any difficulties, and, even while individuals with rosacea have more mites than others, it's unclear if the mites cause the rosacea or the rosacea causes the mites to multiply.

• Genes - Many patients with rosacea have a family history of the ailment, indicating that there is a genetic or hereditary component to the disease.

What are your treatment options for rosacea?

Even though there is no permanent cure for rosacea, you can use various treatments to manage your symptoms like bumps, redness and others.

• Oral medication - Your doctor may prescribe certain oral medications that can help with symptoms of breakouts, redness and bumps.

• Topical skin creams - Some medicated skin creams may help reduce symptoms of inflammation and redness, while others may help mask their appearance temporarily.

• Eye drops - Eye irritation, redness and swelling can be managed by certain prescription eye drops which can help you manage your symptoms.

• Sunscreen - It’s always advisable to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen when going out because sunlight is one of the triggers that can worsen your symptoms.

• Gentle skincare products - When using skincare products, make sure to use gentle formulas without harsh actives because they can irritate your skin further.

• Face massage - Massaging your face in a circular motion, especially using a gua sha, can help improve blood circulation and promote skin healing.

• Reduce stress - Stress is another common trigger for rosacea and your flare-ups can worsen when you get stressed. Engage in yoga, eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep to keep your stress under control. Also, remember, the more you get stressed about your rosacea, the worse your flare-ups can get.

• Laser treatment - You can speak to a dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon to opt for laser treatment to shrink your blood vessels and thus reduce their appearance. Your doctor may even recommend scalpel surgery or carbon dioxide laser to shrink thickened skin.