What is rosacea?

Causes and Symptoms

Guy de Chauliac, a French surgeon, first described rosacea medically in the fourteenth century, attributing the condition to the excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks. It is now known that although alcohol may exacerbate the condition, rosacea can develop in individuals who have never consumed alcohol. While the actual cause is unknown, rosacea is more common in fair-skinned people who flush easily and those whose family members have had the condition.

The most common triggers for this flushing are hot drinks, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, cosmetics, stress, exercise, sunlight, wind exposure, and extreme heat or cold. There is no cure for rosacea, but it can be treated.

Untreated, rosacea may progress from facial redness to slight swelling, pimples, pustules, and prominent facial pores on the nose, mid-forehead, and chin. In some patients, particularly in men, the oil glands enlarge, causing a bulbous, enlarged red nose and puffy cheeks. Thick bumps can develop on the lower half of the nose and nearby cheeks. This stage is known as rhinophyma, a condition made famous by actor W. C. Fields with his red, bulbous nose. Rhinophyma can be extremely disfiguring, and its mistaken association with alcoholism can cause embarrassment and affect self-esteem.

Treatment and Therapy

Rosacea and rhinophyma cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be lessened or even eliminated. Oral and topical antibiotics and avoidance of triggers are the primary ways in which rosacea is managed. Eyelid washing and prescription medication may be recommended for patients whose eyes are affected.

Rhinophyma is usually treated with surgery. The excess tissue that has developed can be removed with a scalpel or a laser or through electrosurgery.

Bibliography

Brownstein, Arlen, and Donna Shoemaker. Rosacea: Your Self-Help Guide. Oakland, Calif.: New Harbinger, 2001.

Hall, John C., and Gordon C. Sauer. Sauer’s Manual of Skin Diseases. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010.

Hellwig, Jennifer, and Purvee S. Shah. "Rosacea." Health Library, September 10, 2012.

Mackie, Rona M. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Parker, James N., and Philip M. Parker, eds. The Official Patient’s Sourcebook on Acne Rosacea. San Diego, Calif.: Icon Health, 2002.

Plewig, Gerd, and Albert M. Kligmanerd. Acne and Rosacea. 3d rev. ed. New York: Springer, 2000.

"Questions and Answers about Rosacea." National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, October, 2012.

"Rosacea." American Academy of Dermatology, 2013.

Rosacea.org. http://www.rosacea.org.

Turkington, Carol, and Jeffrey S. Dover. The Encyclopedia of Skin and Skin Disorders. 3d ed. New York: Facts On File, 2007.