Exercise Is A Factor In the Rosacea Picture

Exercise is a common cause of flushing in people with rosacea , but altering exercise regimens can reduce the effect.

According to one survey of almost 1,300 people with rosacea, more than 83 percent said exercise triggered or aggravated the signs and symptoms of their disorder.

However, 42 percent said they modified their exercise routines because of the skin condition, and nearly 9 out of 10 of those that did so said those changes reduced the effect of exercise on their rosacea.

"While exercise is important to a healthy lifestyle, people with rosacea should anticipate flare-ups of rosacea  symptoms, especially with strenuous activity or outdoor heat exposure," Dr. James Del Rosso, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Nevada Medical School.

"By doing simple things, such as working out in the early morning or late evening when the weather is cooler or in a cool indoor environment, rosacea sufferers may be able to reduce the intensity of flare-ups."

Other ways to reduce or avoid flare-ups: exercising more often, but for shorter periods of time; running a fan or opening a window in order to keep cool indoors; and cooling off by drinking cold fluids or by keeping a damp towel around the neck.

The survey found that walking triggered rosacea in 36 percent of the respondents, followed by jogging or running (33.5 percent), aerobics (30.5 percent), weight lifting (16 percent), push-ups or sit-ups (15 percent), and bicycling or spinning (15 percent).

Along with exercise, other common triggers of rosacea flare-ups include hot weather, alcohol, sun exposure, emotional stress, humidity, indoor heat, spicy foods, heated beverages and irritating skin-care products.

The Rosacea Treatment Picture

Treatment can usually control symptoms and improve the skin's appearance. But the redness of the face often persists even when the acne-like bumps and eye irritation clear up.

Avoiding things that make the redness worse can help. Examples are alcohol, hot beverages, or spicy foods. Using a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) and staying out of the sun can help. Exposure to excessive heat should be avoided. For example, showers or baths should not be too hot. People should not use cosmetics that irritate the skin. Scrubbing or rubbing the face can also irritate the skin.

Applying an antibiotic lotion or gel to the affected skin can help clear the acne-like bumps. Topical antibiotics that may help include metronidazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, and sulfacetamide. Ketoconazole, an antifungal drug, may also help. If topical antibiotics do not help, azelaic acid, a topical drug also used to treat acne, may be tried.

If the acne-like bumps are severe or if the eyes are affected, antibiotics are taken by mouth, usually for at least a month. Tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline are effective. If these drugs are ineffective or if a person cannot tolerate them, erythromycin or metronidazole may be used. Some people need to take antibiotics frequently or continuously.

Treatment with lasers (pulsed dye laser therapy) or electric current (electrocautery) may be used to destroy blood vessels that remain dilated. This treatment can be very effective BUT the vessels will re-grow. If rhinophyma develops, treatment with another type of laser may reduce the size of the nose. Certain kinds of makeup can hide redness that persists.

Rosacea is usually chronic. For some people, redness of the face is the only symptom. Often, symptoms are mild for long stretches of time, with periodic flare-ups. For a few people, symptoms worsen steadily and progressively despite treatment.

Rosacea's Rosy Picture

Many may view rosy pink cheeks as a sign of good health and beauty. For others that rosy glow indicates the occurrence of a possible skin condition called rosacea. Optimum health and beauty in skin care is actually a result of finding the right balance to unlock the full potential of your skin. Eating and drinking properly reduces the chance of poor health and diseases such as diabetes, allergies, sinus conditions, obesity, osteoporosis, rheumatism, arthritis, lupus, and cancer.

Demodex Mites Resurface In the Rosacea Picture

In a study conducted by Dr. Kevin Kavanagh, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland - Maynooth, and Dr. Frank Powell, consultant dermatologist, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin.

Bacteria associated with microscopic mites known as Demodex folliculorum are believed to possibly play a role in the development of papulopustular (subtype 2) rosacea, according to the results of a study funded by a National Rosacea Society grant and reported at the 2004 annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology.

In the completed study, Dr. Kevin Kavanagh and colleagues found that the bacterium Bacillus oleronius stimulated an immune system response, inducing high levels of T-cell proliferation, in 79 percent of patients with subtype 2 rosacea, compared with only 29 percent of patients without the disorder. T-cell proliferation induces an inflammatory response, evident as papules and pustules.

"This indicates that the Bacillus bacteria found in the Demodex mite produce an antigen that could be responsible for the tissue inflammation associated with papulopustular rosacea," Dr. Kavanagh said.

The researchers located the bacteria in Demodex folliculorum, which are normal inhabitants of human skin. Because these microorganisms often occur in much greater numbers in patients with rosacea, researchers have long theorized that they may play a part in the development of the disorder.

The researchers offered several possibilities that may explain how Demodex and bacteria interact to cause inflammation in rosacea. The Demodex mites may carry the pathogenic bacteria into areas of the face susceptible to the changes of rosacea, so that the increased mite density in rosacea patients may result in a higher density of bacteria that produce the papules and pustules. Alternatively, Demodex mites may be attracted to an area of facial skin rich in these bacteria and increase in numbers in this "fertile territory."

Another possibility is that the mites in rosacea patients are infected with these bacteria, which in turn produce stimulatory antigens that trigger the disorder in susceptible patients.

Dr. Kavanagh noted that the potential role for bacteria in causing papulopustular rosacea is supported by the fact that typical treatment for rosacea initially includes oral antibiotics that destroy B. oleronius. Interestingly, he said, antibiotics that are not harmful to these bacteria generally are not effective in the management of rosacea.

Moreover, the possibility that antigens may play a role in disease processes has been demonstrated in other disorders. For example, antigens produced by Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria have been linked with such disorders as psoriasis, food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.

Dr. Kavanagh and his colleagues are now developing antibodies against the antigen produced by B. oleronius to confirm its presence on the faces of patients with papulopustular rosacea and to define its relationship with Demodex mites.

Rosacea Requires Indivualized Treatment Options

Many individuals who are struggling with redness, pimples and visible blood vessels on their face may incorrectly diagnose their condition as acne, sunburn or sensitive skin. However, they probably have rosacea, a skin condition which if not treated early, can continue to flare or begin to worsen. Therefore, it is important to visit a dermatologist who can make the correct diagnosis and recommend treatments and skin care products that will control the rosacea and keep the skin healthy.

Speaking today at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologist James Q. Del Rosso, D.O., clinical assistant professor in the department of dermatology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, spoke about the individualized treatment options that are helping patients with rosacea manage their condition.

"Rosacea can have devastating effects on self-esteem because it is so noticeable on the face," said Dr. Del Rosso. "When it affects teenagers and young adults, it can cause feelings of isolation and self-consciousness. Adults with rosacea often are caught unaware because they assume they would have outgrown skin conditions. But rosacea treatments are more effective than ever, offering a variety of therapies that are having successful results."

Rosacea is a chronic and often progressive skin disease that causes redness and swelling on the face. As many as 14 million Americans have rosacea, most between the ages of 30 and 50. Rosacea may begin as a tendency to flush or blush easily, and progress to persistent redness in the center of the face that may gradually affect the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose. As the disease progresses, the redness becomes more severe and persistent, and small blood vessels, acne-like pimples and nodules may become visible on the surface of the skin. Rosacea can be exacerbated by exposure to extremes of hot and cold, sunlight, emotional stress, hot beverages, alcohol, spicy foods and certain skin care products.

"Since what triggers rosacea in one patient may not trigger it in another, dermatologists often recommend that patients with rosacea keep a diary of flushing episodes and note associated foods, products, activities, medications or other triggering factors," said Dr. Del Rosso.

Topical treatment options such as metronidazole and azaleic acid can reduce redness, red or pus-filled bumps and other symptoms associated with rosacea. With topical medications, individuals are instructed to be consistent with the application of the product and to be patient, as it may take four to eight weeks to see noticeable improvement.

Oral tetracycline antibiotics, such as doxycycline or minocycline, are the most common oral medications used to treat rosacea. A new form of doxycycline, called anti-inflammatory dose doxycycline, is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of rosacea. This form of doxycycline reduces inflammation without any "antibiotic effects," such as antibiotic resistance. "Whether or not an oral antibiotic is recommended for treating rosacea depends on how severe the case is," stated Dr. Del Rosso.

Glycolic acid peels often are used in conjunction with antibiotics to hasten the control of rosacea. A series of peels are performed every two-to- four weeks and may be used in combination with low concentration glycolic acid washes and creams. Glycolic acid peels for rosacea are timed and generally take three-to-five minutes. The peeled facial skin will be red for a few hours following the treatment and makeup should be avoided during this time.

While topical or oral therapies do not remove the redness on the face or reduce the appearance of dilated blood vessels associated with rosacea, vascular lasers and intense pulsed light therapy are now being used to treat these symptoms.

Vascular lasers emit specific wavelengths of light targeted for the tiny visible blood vessels just under the skin. Heat from the laser's energy builds in the vessels, causing them to collapse. The newest generation of vascular lasers does not produce any bruising, but may cause redness and minimal swelling that lasts approximately 24-to-48 hours.

Intense pulsed light therapy is used to treat the persistent redness caused by rosacea, destroying the dilated blood vessels with multiple wavelengths of light.

Both treatments, laser and intense light, take 15-to-30 minutes and are performed at six-to-12 week intervals. Patients may require several treatments initially, and may return annually for treatment of new blood vessels.

In advanced cases of rosacea, rhinophyma may develop, a condition that occurs when oil glands enlarge on the face and a bulbous, enlarged red nose and swollen cheeks develop. This condition usually occurs in men over 40. The excess tissue can be surgically removed using lasers, dermabrasion or electrosurgery to sculpt the nose back down to a more normal shape and appearance. These procedures may be performed on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia, and healing generally takes seven-to-10 days.

Rosacea Helpful Tips Focus On Lifestyle Changes

If you suffer from facial redness, listen up!

Substances like alcohol and caffeine are factors causing roughly 16 million Americans to live with facial redness, also known as Rosacea.

Rosacea is a condition where the flushing of small blood vessels on the face causes your cheeks, nose or chin to redden and can even result in small bumps or acne on the skin.

Dermatologists offer treatment options, but you can also look to your local drugstore for "redness relief" formulas. Experts say a product that has green neutralizers will help conceal redness and even out complexion.

Doctors say to avoid future flare-ups, you should keep a diary of red episodes with notes on food, medicines and products so you can help pinpoint triggers.

With Rosacea A Picture Can Tell The Story

A rosacea picture is very useful in helping one to understand a patient's skin problem. The chronic progressive skin disorder of rosacea can be tracked by a picture taken at various intervals of life. We often miss clues about the progression of the symptoms of rosacea in the day to day structure of our lives. A photo often presents us with the opportunity to pause, look and study the condition of our skin.