A chronic skin disorder in which the nose and cheeks are abnormally red. The cause is usually unknown, but in some cases it results from overuse of corticosteroid creams. The disorder is most common among middle-aged women.
Rosacea may develop into permanent redness of the skin, sometimes with acnelike pustules. In elderly men, it may lead to rhinophyma. Treatment includes oral tetracycline or topical metronidazole. Rosacea tends to recur for 5–10 years before disappearing.
Common chronic in?ammation of the facial skin, this condition is seen in middle and late life. Redness, obvious dilatation of venules and crops of ACNE-like papules and pustules affect mainly the central forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. A keratoconjunctivitis (combined in?ammation of the cornea and conjunctiva of the EYE) may be associated. Subjects ?ush easily, especially after alcohol or hot drinks. Eventually the affected areas may become thickened and oedematous, and in men, proliferation of ?brous and sebaceous tissue may lead to gross thickening and enlargement of the nose (RHINOPHYMA).
Treatment Long-term, low-dose, oral tetracycline (see ANTIBIOTICS; TETRACYCLINES) is the treatment of choice. In mild cases, METRONIDAZOLE gel can be helpful. Potent topical CORTICOSTEROIDS are contraindicated and make rosacea worse.
n. a chronic inflammatory disease of the face in which the skin becomes abnormally flushed. At times it becomes pustular and there may be an associated *keratitis. The disease occurs in both sexes and at all ages but is most common in women in their thirties; the cause is unknown. Treatment is with topical metronidazole; oral tetracyclines, erythromycin, or isotretinoin; or pulsed dye laser.
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