Rosacea occurs in both women and men, but non-treated rosacea may have a much worse course in men and cause more aesthetic problems than in women. Typically, the disease begins around age 40, but it can start at any age.
Most often, the first symptom of the disease is permanent redness of the face, which may often impede with functioning in everyday life. Redness may increase when the ambient temperature changes (eg. entering a warm room in winter), after alcohol or even hot and spicy foods. The skin may show the so-called telangiectasia, which is visible to the naked eye, and presents as expansion of the small blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. Lumps or pimples attach to these symptoms later. Rosacea can also lead to inflammation of the eyelids or conjunctiva. Sometimes rosacea coexists with seborrheic dermatitis. In these people the skin is also flaky and itches (especially around the nose).
The cause of rosacea is unknown. Perhaps microorganisms (including Demodex folliculorum, Helicobacter pylori) are involved in the development of some forms of rosacea, but this has not been clearly demonstrated.
The treatment of rosacea is usually difficult and chronic, but very often effective. The treatment method depends on the severity of lesions and their nature. Sometimes local treatment is sufficient (with creams or medicinal ointments), however, in most cases, it is necessary to treat several months with tablets (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and / or retinoid). Permanently dilated vessels are closed with a laser (e.g. IPL).
The treatment of rosacea is especially complex in people who used creams and ointments containing steroids. Therefore, the use of such medications on the face is strictly contraindicated (except for short treatments recommended by dermatologists only in some selected cases).
In our clinic all doctors treat patients with rosacea, including Prof. Małgorzata Olszewska and Dr. Beata Góralska-Załęska.