Common Rosacea Medical Terms

• Blepharitis: Inflammation of the eyelids.
• Chalazion: A cyst on the eyelid due to plugging of the meibomian glands, fat-secreting glands of the eyes.
• Comedone: A plugged hair follicle.
• Cutaneous: Pertaining to the skin.
• Edema: Swelling from abnormally large amounts of fluids in the tissues.
• Erythema: Abnormal redness of the skin.
• Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: Subtype 1 rosacea, characterized by flushing and persistent redness. Visible blood vessels may also appear.
• Flushing: Transient redness of the face and neck.
• Granuloma: A tumor-like mass or nodule of tissue.
• Granulomatous rosacea: Variant of rosacea, characterized by hard yellow, brown or red papules or nodules.
• Nodule: A small node that is solid and can be detected by touch.
• Ocular rosacea: Subtype 4 rosacea, characterized by watery or bloodshot appearance, irritation, burning or stinging of the eyes.
• Papule: A small, dome-shaped, solid, usually inflamed elevation of the skin.
• Papulopustular rosacea: Subtype 2 rosacea, characterized by facial redness with bumps or pimples.
• Paranasal: Alongside the nose.
• Phymatous rosacea: Subtype 3 rosacea, characterized by thickening or growth of excess tissue, often around the nose.
• Plaque: Elevated red patch on the skin.
• Pustule: A small elevation of the skin filled with a white substance.
• Recalcitrant: Not responsive to treatment.
• Rhinophyma: Enlargement of the nose with excess tissue, a common form of phymatous rosacea.
• Subtype: A common pattern or grouping of signs and symptoms.
• Subtype 1 rosacea: Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea, characterized by flushing and persistent redness. Visible blood vessels may also appear.
• Subtype 2 rosacea: Papulopustular rosacea, characterized by facial redness with bumps or pimples.
• Subtype 3 rosacea: Phymatous rosacea, characterized by thickening or growth of excess tissue, often around the nose.
• Subtype 4 rosacea: Ocular rosacea, characterized by watery or bloodshot appearance, irritation, burning or stinging of the eyes.
• Telangiectasia: Blood vessels visible through the skin.

The key to successful rosacea skin care is to avoid doing anything to irritate your skin which may cause a flare up and worsen the condition.

To properly care for your skin, try following this rosacea skin care regimen.

Cleansing
Because rosacea can be easily irritated, it is very important to cleanse with a non-irritating, soap free and fragrance free gentle skin cleanser. Normal soaps and cleansers are often harsh and can cause dry skin and irritation. Always use as small an amount of cleanser as possible and apply gently. Rinse with lukewarm water and blot with a soft towel, never wipe the towel over the skin.

Moisturize
To help restore moisture without causing irritation to the dry skin caused by rosacea, apply a water based moisturizer in a cream or lotion formulation. Only use products that do not contain fragrances, lanolin or alcohol.

Maintainance
Always cleanse and moisturize your face once in the morning and again before bedtime.

Sunscreen
Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher or even a total sun block. You will probably need to experiment with several sunscreens before finding one that suits you. Apply sunscreen often and liberally to all exposed areas when outdoors, whether during the summer or winter.

Other useful tips:

Do not pull or scratch your skin; do not use loofahs rough towels on your face.

Keep your face well protected when outdoors in cold or windy weather.

Drink plenty of water.

Use a humidifier when using indoor heating.

Use lukewarm instead of hot water when bathing.

Avoid shaving creams or gels containing alcohol.

Use an electric shaver rather than a blade.

Use natural fiber fabrics (other than wool) against the skin. Cotton, linen, silk and hemp are soft, breathable and non-irritating.

Stage 1:
Flushing or redness appears on parts or all of the face and can last for hours or days. Skin is sensitive and or dry. Red lines may appear on the surface of the skin . Eyes may be red, dry, or have a gritty sensation.

Stage 2:
Skin eruptions appear and may last for weeks. These look like pimples and may be solid or puss filled. Symptoms may spread to other parts of the body such as the scalp, neck & chest.

Stage 3:
In extreme cases of Rosacea which is left untreated, large nodules may appear, most commonly on the cheeks and often appearing as a swollen nose (rhinophyma).

Oral antibiotics such as tetracycline hydrochloride help to reduce the symptoms of rosacea, including redness, pimples and eye symptoms. People with mild rosacea may only need antibiotic creams. Moderate or severe symptoms usually require oral antibiotics, followed by topical creams such as MetroCream.

Common side effects of oral antibiotics include:

• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
• allergic reaction
• yeast infections (eating live yogurt may help counter-act this side-effect

The application of metronidazole has caused the following adverse reactions in some patients: burning, skin irritation, dryness, transient redness, metallic taste, tingling or numbness of extremities and nausea.

It is designed to control rosacea and improve the skin’s look by helping to reduce the inflammatory lesions and redness caused by the condition. Metronidazole is also used to treat acne as it helps in killing the bacteria that are involved in causing this skin condition. It is not known how this medication acts to treat rosacea.

The application of metronidazole has caused the following adverse reactions in some patients: burning, skin irritation, dryness, transient redness, metallic taste, tingling or numbness of extremities and nausea.

Common side effects of oral antibiotics include:
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- allergic reaction
- yeast infections (eating live yogurt may help counter-act this side-effect

Common side effects of oral antibiotics include:
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- allergic reaction
- yeast infections (eating live yogurt may help counter-act this side-effect
- can cause the skin to react abnormally to direct sunlight and UV light, causing an exagerated sunburn reaction.

General Symptoms

An eye affected by rosacea often appears to be watery or bloodshot. Patients may also have the sensation of a gritty or foreign body in the eye, or perhaps a dry, burning or stinging sensation. In the majority of ocular rosacea patients, there is a feeling of fullness in the eyelid. This is usually the result of thickened secretions of the meibomian or Zeis glands along the eyelid margin. The fatty secretions help to avoid evaporation of the watery layer of the tears. The plugging of these glands may lead to dry eye or styes, both common manifestations of ocular rosacea. Many sufferers also report a sensitivity to light and blurry vision

Specific Conditions

• Blepharitis – this is the inflammation of eyelashes or lid margins. Blepharitis often results in red, itchy, burning eyes as well as scales and crusts on the eyelids. Included in this group of conditions are infections of eyelash follicles. Other conditions include chalazia or meibomitis which is an enlarged, inflamed or plugged meibomian gland (this is the gland which lubricates the eyelids). Problems with the meibomian gland can result in dry eyes.
• Red, painful eyes may be the result of conditions known as episcleritis and scleritis. Both of these conditions involve inflamed blood vessels in the eye.
• Keratitis is one of the more serious conditions which may occur and is a term which is used to describe a range of conditions where there is infection or inflammation of the cornea. Medical evaluation and treatment of keratits is absolutely essential.
• Iritis is the inflammation of the iris. Symptoms include eye pain, sensitivity to light, and/or blurry vision.

As with facial rosacea, ocular rosacea patients are also encouraged to identify and avoid any lifestyle or environmental factors that may trigger or aggravate their individual condition.

MetroGel (metronidazole)
Noritate 1% (metronidazole)
Tetracycline Hydrochloride
PCE (erythromycin)
Doxycin (doxycycline)
Minocin (minocycline hydrochloride)
Protrin, Trisulfa (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole)
Sulfacet-R Lotion (sulfacetamide and sulfur)

Antibiotics can help by reducing the inflammation associated with rosacea. They can also reduce the number of pimples and the surrounding redness. You can use antibiotics to reduce the symptoms of rosacea, including redness, pimples, and eye symptoms.

Antibiotics can be applied directly to the skin (topically), or taken by mouth (orally). Topical antibiotics kill bacteria on the skin while oral antibiotics treat rosacea by killing the bacteria in the skin pores. Mild rosacea is more often treated with antibiotic creams whereas moderate or severe symptoms may require oral antibiotics.

It is worth remembering that an antibiotic that works for one person with rosacea may not work for another. Also, over time, antibiotics can stop being effective. When this occurs, a different antibiotic may be used and this must be discussed with your doctor. Some antibiotics are not safe for pregnant women and also may alter the effectiveness of birth control pills.