When Rosacea was Just Another Word for Acne

The first written reference to rosacea came in 1812 when Dr. Thomas Bateman referred to "acne rosacea" in an English medical text, and noted: "The perfect cure of acne rosacea is, in fact, never accomplished." Other 19th century references commonly listed rosacea among the various forms of acne.

Finally in 1891, Dr. Henri G. Piffard, a professor of dermatology in New York, called for distinctions among different forms of acne to more truly differentiate symptoms. Hence the "birth" of the term rosacea.

Dermatologists now know that rosacea is a different skin condition from acne, and that treatment for acne can often make rosacea worse. Although the precise cause of rosacea is still unknown, most experts believe it is caused by a vascular disorder that seems to be related to flushing.



Research has also dispelled the centuries-old myth that rosacea is caused by heavy consumption of alcohol. While alcohol may aggravate rosacea, the symptoms of rosacea can be just as severe in a teetotaler.