Rosacea is a vascular disorder, meaning it affects blood circulation and veins. It usually affects people over the age of thirty, but can also appear in the early twenties or later in life around the age of seventy or eighty.
Causes of Rosacea
This condition begins with the appearance of redness on the nose and cheeks. At first it comes and goes, but over time it becomes more persistent and in some patients it extends from the nose to the cheeks, in a butterfly shape. Dilated capillaries begin to appear through the skin, followed by swelling and a thickening of the connective tissue and sebaceous glands. The reddish bumps (papules) break from time to time and sometimes fill with pus (pustules). It is very important not to confuse these symptoms with acne. They appear most frequently in the nose, which, due to the thickening of the connective tissue and sebaceous glands, becomes enlarged, deformed and acquires a bulbous appearance. This rosacea symptom almost exclusively affects male patients.
At first, rosacea appears only occasionally on the face, but later it becomes more and more frequent. The cause of this disorder is still unknown, but it is presumed that a combination of several hereditary and environmental factors is to blame.
Signs of Rosacea
Signs and symptoms of rosacea can include facial redness, most often in the central part of the face, while small veins in the nose and cheeks often enlarge and become visible, swollen red bumps. Many patients develop acne-like bumps on their face, sometimes filled with pus, and eye problems: About half of patients who suffer from rosacea also deal with dry eyes, irritation, and redness of the eyelids. Some patients first develop eye-related symptoms, which are then followed by rosacea. In addition, rosacea is more commonly accompanied by couperose whose main symptoms are dilated capillaries.
Rosacea Treatment
Although there is no cure for rosacea, there are treatments that can control and reduce the signs and symptoms of the disease. They most often include a combination of certain prescription medications and certain lifestyle changes . Although rosacea is not caused by bacteria, treatment often includes antibiotics that have an anti-inflammatory effect. They can be given in the form of pills or creams, gels or lotions to use on damaged skin to prevent further spread. Metronidazole , azelaic acid , and ivermectin are also frequently used. Metronidazole and ivermectin is the increasingly used choice, since it combats the Demodex mite, whose two species, D. folliculorum and D. brevis, live within the pilosebaceous units of human skin, feeding on sebum and dead cells. and cause immune reaction of the dermis that leads to the progression of rosacea symptoms.
Rosacea is a chronic and progressive vascular disease and no cream can make it disappear permanently. However, proper skin care and certain products containing soothing ingredients can relieve symptoms and will not further irritate the skin if rosacea is not in its acute phase. During the day, the skin should be protected by a mild SPF, as UV radiation is a major trigger of inflammation in skin suffering from rosacea.
