Rosacea Questions & Answers

About Rosacea

About 16 million people in North America alone suffer from the embarrassing effects of rosacea. It can damage your skin and it doesn’t just go away, so it’s important to understand your condition so you can find the best treatment for you.

Rosacea is a hereditary disorder that affects the blood vessels in your nose, forehead, cheekbones and chin. It causes a deep redness from dilated blood vessels, facial swelling and burning sensations. For more information go to the “What is Rosacea?” page here.

Experts agree that rosacea is a disorder of the facial blood vessels. Normal function of the affected blood vessels changes and the skin becomes extremely sensitive to both internal and external stimuli. These changes result in the progression of Rosacea symptoms. Rosacea seems to be genetic, which means it passes down in families.

Rosacea progression usually follows the same pattern: the facial blood vessels begin to dilate frequently and this leads to the vessels being extremely susceptible to stimuli and damage to the tissue. Rosacea has four stages and over time, it can progress from one stage to the next. Learn more about the progression of the four stages of Rosacea on our “What is Rosacea?” page here.

Yes, it is. Rosacea is a disorder of the blood vessels that affect the flushing zone of the face. However, you will often also get blackheads and whiteheads that aren’t often seen with acne vulgaris. Many times, however, Rosacea sufferers also have acne vulgaris or they have a lot of the papules and pustules that resemble pimples, so the two conditions are often confused. Rosacea doesn’t affect the follicles, like acne does. It is a blood vessel disorder. Acne is usually found in teenagers, although adults can suffer from it as well. Rosacea most often strikes adults, usually between 30 and 45 years old, with fair skin. The papules and pustules of Rosacea are usually accompanied by an underlying redness that isn’t present with acne. Rosacea usually begins with periodic flushing of the face, which leads to a persistent redness. Both acne and Rosacea are inflammatory, so the treatment is often similar, but most acne treatments are just too harsh for the sensitive skin of the Rosacea sufferer. Common acne treatments include alpha hydroxy acids, topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, topical azelaic acid, triclosan, acne peels and chemical peels. All of these treatments can be difficult to tolerate if you have Rosacea. You should also beware of topical exfoliants, toners, astringents and alcohol containing products.

  • Is Rosacea different from Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Rosacea and Seborrheic Dermatitis are similar, but they aren’t quite the same. Rosacea involves the blood vessels and causes flushing and broken blood vessels, but not the greasy flaking in the T-zone found in Seborrheic Dermatitis. People who have Seborrheic Dermatitis get crusty, scaling, itchy skin and occasional burning, but they don’t have the red bumps found with Rosacea. Seborrheic Dermatitis can also spread to the scalp, ears and torso area. These two conditions often get confused because they are often found together.

There is no cure for rosacea, but if it isn’t properly treated, it will get worse. Rosacea can spread across the center of the face and can eventually lead to Rhinophyma, a bulb-like enlarging of the nose and possibly even the ears. At this point, you may need surgical correction to reduce your nose to its normal size and shape. Most people do not ever progress to this disfiguring stage, but it is vital to use an appropriate treatment to keep your Rosacea from spreading and getting worse.

  • What Can I Do to Treat My Rosacea?

ZENMED®, creator of the internationally recognized line of skin therapies, specifically targets those suffering from the symptoms of Rosacea. ZENMED®’s Skin Support System comes in two types: one for dry skin and one for oily skin, so either way, there is a Skin Support System that will treat your Rosacea without adding to the dryness or the oiliness of your skin. Click here to go to ZENMED®’s Rosacea treatment page.