What is Rosacea?
According to medterms.com, rosacea (pronounced "roh-ZAY-sha") is a chronic skin disease that affects the middle third of the face with persistent redness over the areas of the face and nose that normally blush: mainly the forehead, the chin and the lower half of the nose.
The medical dictionary defines rosacea as a skin disease typically appearing in people during their 30s and 40s, marked by redness (erythema) of the face, flushing of the skin, and the presence of hard pimples (papules) or pus-filled pimples (pustules), and small visible spider-like veins called telangiectasias.
Progression of Rosacea
Rosacea causes skin to flush and turn red, but the redness stays long after a blush would have faded away. A person with rosacea may experience redness for hours or days in areas including the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin. If left untreated, areas of the face become persistently red, and the effected areas can extend to neck, back, scalp, nose, ears, arms, and legs. On top of the redness, hard pimples can appear as well as tiny, red blood vessels which enlarge and become visible on the face and nose (see painting above).
End-Stage Rosacea
If the condition is allowed to progress, the skin may take on a rough texture, sometimes compared to an orange peel. In extreme cases, the nose may become red and enlarged accompanied by inflamed, puffy cheeks. Although rosacea is found more often in women, men are more likely to develop the enlarged, bulbous nose.
Rosacea & Eyes
Many people with rosacea develop conjunctivitis of the eyes and experience burning and eye irritation. While rosacea is not considered a serious condition, it can cause discomfort, and if left untreated can cause vision troubles. Probably the worst side effects of rosacea are emotional distress, depression and loss of self esteem brought on by the physical manifestations of the disease.
No one is sure what causes rosacea, although there is evidence Nashville's heat may be a contributing factor, and there is no cure for the disease. It is apparently not contagious but does tend to run in families, especially caucasians of mainly northwestern European descent. Although it is not a form of acne, rosacea is sometimes mistakenly called adult acne.
Series on Rosacea Continues
This series on rosacea will continue with a look at the known triggers of rosacea as well as treatments for rosacea.
Part II: What causes rosacea? Common causes and triggers of rosacea
Part III: Controlling rosacea: skin care, medications and other treatments for rosacea
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