June 14, 2007

Acne Rosacea - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Tip! Typical Rosacea symptoms are a combination of any of the following: Red looking, flushed skin - especially on the nose and the cheeks, small, dilated blood vessels known as telangiectases may appear in the background, inflamed red bumps sometimes with a yellow head (acne rosacea), a shiny, oily appearance to the skin, and roughness, or ‘orange peel’ like texture of the affected skin.

Acne rosacea is a skin condition characterized by reddish discoloration of the facial skin, particularly in the area of the cheeks, forehead and the nose. It is usually found in fair skinned adults, and is often mistaken for acne. The tiny blood vessels under the skin dilate and give the appearance of “blushing”. While pimples may occur with acne rosacea there are no whiteheads or blackheads. At first the redness may come and go, but if untreated it will continue to worsen, with pimples and permanent flushing of the face. Extreme cases of acne rosacea that have not been treated can lead to disfigurement of the nose and puffy cheeks. Cosmetic surgery is the only way to repair this severe damage. Acne rosacea may also cause a gritty feeling in the eyes that, if not treated, can lead to impaired vision.

Acne rosacea can occur in men or women. Women tend to get acne rosacea more often than men, but men have more severe symptoms than do women.

Causes of Acne Rosacea

Tip! People with rosacea have skin that requires intense and very specific care, every day, from cleanser to makeup. It is important that anything that comes into contact with the face does not have any skin-aggravating properties, but rather possesses skin-calming and anti-redness peoperties.

One of the most frustrating things about acne rosacea is that there is no known cause. There are many suggestion as to the origins of rosacea such as:

- Emotional factors that cause blushing or flushing of the face may trigger acne rosacea.
- Changes in the weather may cause acne rosacea to occur.
- Sun exposure generally worsens the condition.
- Mites or certain bacteria may cause the initial outbreaks of acne rosacea.
- Some medications for heart conditions that are used a vasodilator may bring about the onset of acne rosacea.

Treatments Available

It is important to remember that acne rosacea is not the same as teenage acne, and will not respond to over the counter acne treatments. These treatments are more likely to further irritate the skin and cause a worsening of the condition.

The most successful treatment of acne rosacea includes:

- A strong oral antibiotic that gradually decreases to a maintenance level.
- A topical cream that is applied regularly to the affected area. This cream usually will contain antibiotics in conjunction with cortisone or a prescription acne mediation.

Things to avoid/moderate

- Minimize skin exposure to the sun.
- Avoid or minimize smoking
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Avoid spicy foods

Tip! Another treatment option is the use of laser or pulsed light technology, technology that is also used for hair removal. In these cases, the skin is heated to a point that reduces or eliminates the redness caused by rosacea by treating the dilated blood vessels that is causing the redness.

As promised - you now know what acne rosacea is, what causes this condition and how it can be treated/controlled.

Mike Singh is the publisher of http://www.stopping-acne-now.com/. On his website, he shows how to cure a pimple and articles about acne causes and treatments.

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