The face looks red and swollen, pustules cover the skin, red and blue veins cover large parts of the skin surface. Rosacea, a chronic and inflammatory skin disease of the face, has no cure. Feared complications are inflammation of the eyes. But there are several cosmetic and therapeutic options for the treatment of acne rosacea that lead to significant improvement.
Rosacea: cause unclear
Rosacea (rose petal) is the flattering name for a skin disease that, in its advanced stages, downright disfigures sufferers, not infrequently isolates them and can lead to depression. It almost always affects men and women beyond the age of 40; fair-skinned types with red hair seem to be particularly susceptible – although scientists are still unable to find the cause.
It is thought that both an unstable vascular nervous system and microorganisms such as the hair follicle mite and liver disease promote the disease. In addition, almost exclusively men get growths on the sebaceous glands in the nose area, the so-called “bulbous nose” (rhinophyma). The disease may be hereditary, but it is not contagious.
Phases of rosacea
Rosacea first begins inconspicuously with skin redness. In particular, these appear under the influence of the following circumstances:
- Heat
- Cold
- Emotional stress
- Spicy food
- Alcohol
The fine branched and superficial blood vessels are visibly and permanently dilated – the skin is said to “bloom”. This still mild form of the disease is called “couperose“.
In the second stage, pustules and nodules as well as swellings appear in stages. These can become inflamed in the next stage and are sometimes purulent. The skin is swollen, reddened and has large pores and can develop blackheads: The similarities with acne therefore sometimes leads to misdiagnosis.
Complications of rosacea include inflammation of the eyes. About one-fifth of affected patients get dry eyes, conjunctivitis, and sometimes corneal and iris dermatitis.
Treatment of acne rosacea
Under no circumstances should sufferers attempt self-medication with cortisone. Doctors prescribe an antibiotic such as erythromycin and metronidazole when purulent nodules and pustules cover the face. Vitamin A acid is also used by some dermatologists, although women who are pregnant or still able to have children should not use this remedy because it can be harmful to fertility. If the eyes are affected, patients may need to take the antibiotics.
The red and blue veins can be easily sclerosed. With the help of a laser, the burst veins are sclerosed in up to five sessions – however, health insurance companies do not pay for this. In the case of a bulbous nose, the proliferated tissue is also removed with a laser until a normal nose shape is achieved.
