Pronounced: rose-AY-sha
Rosacea is a skin problem that causes flushing and redness of the face. It can also cause a rash or small red sores that look like acne.
Ocular rosacea affects the eyes. It makes them red and irritated.
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The cause not known.
Rosacea symptoms may be set off by:
Rosacea often starts in people over 30 years of age. It is more common in people with fair skin who are of European descent.
Other things that may increase the risk are:
Facial flushing and redness are the most common symptom. Other may be:
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. You may need to see a doctor who treats skin problems.
There is no cure. Treatment will help to manage symptoms. Treatment choices are:
The first step is to identify triggers. They can vary from person to person. Avoiding triggers can stop symptoms.
Keeping skin healthy will also help. Basic skin care includes:
Medicine may help to calm symptoms that do appear. Choices are:
Surgery may help if other treatment has not worked. It can help to decrease redness and manage enlarged blood vessels. Options include:
There are no steps to prevent rosacea.
American Academy of Dermatology
https://www.aad.org
National Rosacea Society
https://www.rosacea.org
Canadian Dermatology Association
https://www.dermatology.ca
Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca
Gallo RL, Granstein RD, Kang S, et al. Standard classification and pathophysiology of rosacea: The 2017 update by the National Rosacea Society Expert Committee. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Jan;78(1):148-155
Rosacea. American Academy of Dermatology website. Available at: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne-and-rosacea/rosacea. Accessed September 25, 2018.
Rosacea. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116224/Rosacea. Updated September 24, 2018. Accessed September 25, 2018.
Rosacea. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/rosacea. Updated August 27, 2018. Accessed September 25, 2018.
Rosacea. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/rosacea. Updated April 30, 2016. Accessed September 25, 2018.
van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Carter B, van der Linden MM, Charland L. Interventions for rosacea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(4):CD003262.
Last reviewed March 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Monica Zangwill, MD, MPH Last Updated: 8/15/2019
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