Rosacea is a condition that creates redness of the skin due to visible blood vessels in your face. You may be unaware of the fact that 415 million people worldwide suffer from rosacea, so the condition is more common than you may think. At the offices of Jay Michael Trussler, DO in Manchester and Monteagle, Tennessee, we’re here to cover all of your primary care and aesthetic needs. With that in mind, we’ve compiled this helpful guide to rosacea and how you can get it treated.
If you have rosacea, you’ll notice redness and prominent blood vessels showing up on your face. Though less common, you may also have tiny, red, pus-filled, raised bumps on your face. Rosacea is most common in middle-aged women with light skin.
In addition to visible redness and bumps, rosacea may also cause a couple of other symptoms, including:
Rosacea also commonly causes eye problems. A condition known as ocular rosacea commonly presents as dryness, irritation, redness, and swelling in the eyes and eyelids. With ocular rosacea, eye problems can sometimes come before skin problems.
The visible redness and bumps that come with rosacea don’t always simply look like blemishes. As time goes on, they can thicken the skin on your nose, making it look overgrown and swollen. This problem is more prevalent in men than in women.
While the exact causes of rosacea are undetermined, it is believed that it’s caused by a combination of environmental and hereditary factors.
Although anyone can develop rosacea, there are a few risk factors, including:
There is no specific test used to determine if you have rosacea. Instead, we rely on an examination of your facial skin as well as a history of your symptoms to determine if you have rosacea.
Although there isn’t a cure for rosacea, there are treatments and therapies that can treat and even eliminate symptoms. They include:
There is a range of different types of medications that can treat rosacea. Topical creams or gels can reduce redness by constricting your blood vessels. You can see results after 12 hours of application, but these ointments must be applied regularly to maintain results.
Oral antibiotics and acne drugs can also help to clear up redness and bumps. Usually, an antibiotic like doxycycline can be used for moderate and severe rosacea. Acne drugs like isotretinoin can help with severe cases of rosacea that don’t respond to other therapies.
At our offices, we often turn to laser therapy to treat common skin problems like rosacea. Laser treatments are great for treating redness, scarring, and visible blemishes. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may need to repeat treatments to maintain the results.
You don’t have to suffer through the symptoms of rosacea. At our offices, we provide a variety of treatment options that can restore and improve the quality of your skin. Call us or request an appointment on our website to start treating your rosacea today.
