Rosacea: Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

Q. What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a common skin disorder which affects the facial area of the body. In the early stages, signs and symptoms of rosacea include redness and flushing which become more prevalent overtime.

Blood vessels may become visible underneath the skin. In its advanced stage, the skin can become thickened and a condition known as rhinophyma can develop.

The eyes can also be affected by rosacea. Due to the variety and combinations of signs and symptoms of rosacea in people, four subtypes of rosacea have been categorized to aid diagnosis.

Q. Is there a cure for rosacea?

A. There is no cure although there are treatments for rosacea which help control the signs & symptoms of this disease.

Q. What is pityriasis rosacea?

A. There is no condition known as pityriasis rosacea. Pityriasis rosacea is a frequent misspelling of another skin condition, pityriasis rosea.

Q. What are the risks from using lasers to treat rosacea?

A. Laser treatment for rosacea can be used to remove the visible blood vessels under the skin and to reduce the swollen bumpy nose symptoms of rhinophyma.

The risks of laser surgery are low. In general, laser treatment does not cause significant irritation or bruising of the skin. However some patients may experience redness, swelling and soreness within the first 12 to 24 hours after treatment.

Laser bruising - rosacea. Bruising may occur under the skin which can last 5 to 10 days after surgery.

Q. Is their a link between the symptoms of rosacea and birth control pills?

A. There is no evidence that birth control pills can cause or aggravate the symptoms of rosacea.