Acne Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the blood vessels and pilosebaceous units of the face in middle-aged individuals. sufferers with Acne Rosacea have papules and pustules superimposed on diffuse erythema and telangiectasia over the central portion of the face. An important component is easy flushing and blushing of the face often accentuated when alcohol, caffeine, or hot spicy foods are ingested. Hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands, connective tissue, and vascular bed of the nose sometimes causes rhinophyma, which is a large, red, bulbous nose. Ocular complications, which occur in a significant number of Acne Rosacea sufferers, include blepharitis, chalazion, conjunctivitis, and progressive keratitis that can lead to scarring and blindness.
Acne Rosacea can usually be differentiated from adult acne by the lack of comedones and the prominent vascular (flushing/telangectasia) component. Other causes of a red face in adults such as the malar eruption of acute systemic lupus erythematosus and the heliotrope rash of dermatomyositis, seborrheic dermatitis, and perioral dermatitis must be considered. Acne Rosacea and the eye complications usually respond well to tetracycline and/or oral metronidazole, but the antibiotic must be continued for life (at the lowest dose that suppresses the condition) because Acne Rosacea recurs when therapy stops. Topical antibiotics (metronidazole [MetroGel] or Noritate) can be helpful alone or in combination with low-potency topical steroids (e.g., hydrocortisone 1% lotion) once or twice a day; higher-potency steroids can actually worsen the disease.
what is Rosacea
Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory disorder of the hair follicles, sebaceous glands and vasculature of the face. The role of Demodex mite in the pathogenesis of Rosacea is controversial.
Rosacea sufferers have recurrent flushing, exacerbated by heat (shower, hot drinks), spicy foods, sunlight, cold, alcohol, and stress. They have sensitive skin, and may complain of dry and gritty eyes.
The peak incidence of Rosacea is 30—50 yr; Females being more affected than Males.
Rosacea sufferers may develop erythema, telangiectases, papules, and pustules of central face; there are no comedones in contrast to acne. Sebaceous hyperplasia, seborrheic dermatitis and facial lymphedema are also more common.
There are 4 Major Subtypes of Rosacea:
Erythematotelangiectatic, papulopustular, ocular, and phymatous.
Chronic inflammation may progress to rhinophyma (enlarged nose; in males). Ocular involvement is also common (e.g., gritty, conjunctival injection, styes, photophobia).
Investigations include clinical diagnosis; uncommonly, skin biopsy is indicated to rule out lupus or sarcoidosis.
Similar conditions that needs to be differentiated from Rosacea are: Acne, lupus erythematosus, perioral dermatitis, sarcoidosis, seborrheic dermatitis.
Treatment of Rosacea is based on severity and subtype.
Lifestyle modification:
Avoid triggers; sun protection and avoidance; facial massage for lymphedema.
Topical antibiotics:
Metronidazole 0.75% gel or 1% cream bid.
Sodium sulfacetamide lotion 10% bid.
Oral antibiotics (moderate to severe cases with inflammatory papulopustular component):
Tetracycline 500 mg po bid
Minocycline 100 mg po od—bid.
Doxycycline 20 mg po bid (subantimicrobial dose therapy) or 100 mg po qd–bid.
Isotretinoin (low dose); less commonly, topical retinoids may be used.
Laser therapy (e.g., PDL, IPL) for telangiectases and ablative laser (e.g., CO2) for rhinophyma.
Camouflage makeup (e.g., Dermablend, Covermark) for erythema.
Ophthalmologist to assess for ocular Rosacea (blepharitis, conjunctivitis, episcleritis).
