Rosacea Causes

The precise pathogenesis of rosacea still remains unknown, but most experts believe that rosacea is a disorder where the blood vessels become damaged when repeatedly dilated by stimuli. The damage causes the vessels to dilate too easily and stay dilated for longer periods of time or remain permanently dilated, resulting in flushing and redness. Immune cells and inflammatory mediators can leak from the microvascular bed causing inflammatory pustules and papules, especially with those with papulopustular rosacea.

Rosacea has a hereditary component and those that are fair-skinned of European or Celtic ancestry have a higher genetic predisposition to developing it. Women are more commonly affected but when men develop rosacea it tends to be more severe. People of all ages can get rosacea but there is a higher instance in the 30-50 age group. The first signs of rosacea are said to be persisting redness due to exercise, changes in temperature, and cleansing.

Triggers that cause episodes of flushing and blushing play a part in the development of rosacea. Exposure to temperature extremes can cause the face to become flushed as well as strenuous exercise, heat from sunlight, severe sunburn, stress, cold wind, moving to a warm or hot environment from a cold one such as heated shops and offices during the winter. There are also some foods and drinks that can trigger flushing, these include alcohol, foods high in histamine and spicy food.

Certain medications and topical irritants can quickly progress rosacea. If redness persists after using a treatment then it should be stopped immediately. Some acne and wrinkle treatments that have been reported to cause rosacea include microdermabrasion, chemical peels, high dosages of isotretinoin, benzoyl peroxide and retin-A. Steroid induced rosacea is the term given to rosacea caused by the use of topical or nasal steroids. These steroids are often prescribed for seborrheic dermatitis. Dosage should be slowly decreased and not immediately stopped to avoid a flare up.

Studies of rosacea and demodex mites have revealed that some people with rosacea have increased numbers of the mite, especially those with steroid induced rosacea. When large numbers are present they may play a role along with other triggers.

Possible Proof Of A Genetic Link To Rosacea

Research is also in progress to learn more about what causes rosacea. One promising area of research centers on the endoglin gene. Early study results seem to show that a mutation in the endoglin gene may make an individual more likely to develop telangiectasia (widened or broken blood vessels under the skin) when the face is exposed to environmental factors that can contribute to rosacea. Although all the functions of endoglin are not yet understood, it is known to have a role in the development and maintenance of blood vessels.

Treatment Options in Rosacea

Understand What To Expect From Treatment:
The major goals of rosacea treatment are to:

Understand the condition
Identify and avoid the factors that cause flushing for you and that flare your rosacea
Control the active symptoms and signs of rosacea
Achieve optimum maintenance of this condition and its complications
Understand that this is a chronic condition

Self Help:
1) Aggravating factors: - These factors can increase your core body temperature:
Exposure to weather - sun, cold, wind
Hot food, hot drinks, and alcohol
Exercise (you should exercise in cool surroundings and avoid dehydration)
Medications (you should avoid vasodilating drugs, that is, drugs that expand your blood vessels, and topical steroids)
Cosmetics (you should avoid greasy, drying, or perfumed products)
2) Daily skin care:
Avoid hot water, loofahs, and rough towels
Avoid toners, exfoliating agents, and astringents
Dandruff – Rosacea frequently coexists with sebhorreic dermatitis or dandruff
3) Cosmetics:
Cosmetic cover-up
Anti-redness cream; awaits fuller evaluation
4) Patient support groups.

Medical Treatment:
For mild rosacea, topical therapy is always the first choice
When rosacea is more severe, topical therapy must often be combined with oral treatment
Creams and oral antibiotics are not effective in treating the flushing of the face, or the broken blood vessels

The Rosacea War Final Picture or Ongoing Saga?

In October, with a clear and decisive victory against Nase's lawsuit (the judge ruled it meritless), we had hoped to shutter our virtual doors and move on, along with the rest of the rosacea community. This hope was predicated on the assumption that Geoffrey Nase would recognize that he had lost all credibility and give the community a break from his misinformation and deception.

Since then, we have sadly observed that the spin continues and absurd claims are being made about the reason why he abandoned his court case. Thus, our decision to release the official deposition, transcribed by the court, to set the record straight. It does not get more legit or official than a court document, so please read it for yourselves.

We're posting two versions of the transcript. The first is the original, which runs to 208 pages. The second runs to 81 pages because it has been compressed. The text is identical, and as certified by the official court stenographers, who can verify the truth of these documents. (Their contact details are included.)

These are the only significant errors:

p.12 line 12 position's; p.116 line 5 Willamette; p.157 lines 19 & 20 Candela & Sciton; p.189 line 5 Badzik; p.203 line 1 Danish.

We had offered to keep the deposition confidential but this offer was rejected outright by Nase. Even so, we have hesitated over making this information available because of difficulties timing it away from any of Nase's medical dramas. (He was absent from the Forum for 18 days from November 22 - December 9, which he later described as "away for a couple months for a discectomy". Then there was "major surgery" on December 14th, which was supposed to see him incapacitated for at least three weeks, but which was suddenly condensed into a single day's recuperation when Nase was unhappy with the way the Collagenix story was being presented.)