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Rosacea
What is it?
Rosacea is a chronic, usually progressive inflammatory disorder characterized by persistent redness (flushing) of the face. If the condition worsens, blisters, red bumps (papules), or pus-filled eruptions (pustules) resembling acne may appear. In some cases, thickening of the skin may result in an enlarged nose. Rosacea may also cause eye irritation and conjunctivitis (inflammation of the clear membrane covering the eyeball and the inside of the eyelids). While rosacea most commonly appears on the central parts of the face (cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose), it may also occur on other parts of the face and on the chest, scalp, neck, back, and even the arms or legs.
Sometimes, rosacea is called "adult acne". In fact, it was formerly called "acne rosacea," a term that is no longer used because it suggested a connection with "acne vulgaris" (the acne that commonly affects teens). Unlike teen acne, rosacea has no relationship to hormone levels and it does not cause clogged pores.
The course of rosacea is highly individualized?meaning that what each person experiences is different. Additionally, symptoms of rosacea can come and go ? flaring up at times followed by periods of remission.
Although rosacea symptoms vary greatly, four major subtypes of rosacea currently are recognized by the National Rosacea Society. Subtypes are based on general patterns of symptoms. Some individuals have only one subtype of rosacea; others may experience more than one subtype at the same time. Many rosacea patients start with subtype I and then develop other subtypes.
Individuals with any subtype of rosacea often describe a burning or stinging sensation similar to a severe sunburn on their faces. The addition of a fifth subtype, tentatively called "neuropathic rosacea", has been suggested by some dermatologists to classify this burning facial pain that is not always accompanied by other rosacea symptoms.
Each of the subtypes of rosacea is further classified by a severity grading scale of 0 to 3:
Grade 0 ? no symptoms
Grade 1 ? mild symptoms
Grade 2 ? moderate symptoms
Grade 3 ? severe symptoms
Please click on the following links to learn more about the different subtypes of rosacea.
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What is it?
