What is Rosacea (acne rosacea)?

Rosacea, also know as acne rosacea, is a skin condition that often affects the face. Patches of red skin appear around the nose and chin and on the cheeks and forehead. Spider veins, reddish patches that resemble a spider, may also appear. Redness can sometimes occur on the neck and chest as well. Though the redness recedes, it flares up again, usually after exposure to the sun.

At first the facial redness may disappear quickly; however, in time the redness will persist, and thin red lines will appear. Pimples often form that resemble the pimples of teenage acne. The condition is often referred to as “acne rosacea” or “adult acne” even though it is not the same condition as acne. In Rosacea, blackheads and whiteheads do not form.

Rosacea affects people after the age of thirty. Fair-skinned people are at a greater risk of developing rosacea. Because there is no cure, sufferers often feel helpless when a flare-up occurs. Sufferers are tempted to miss work and avoid social situations.

The National Rosacea Society, U.S.A., estimates that most rosacea sufferers are not aware that they have a medical condition until the symptoms become severe. More women are affected than men, but men tend to develop the more severe symptoms.

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