Acne Rosacea and Its Natural Treatment

Even if Acne Rosacea or Adult Acne is one of the most common skin diseases, there is still a lot that we don't know about what causes it.

Rosacea is one of our most common skin diseases, and from 5-10 per cent of the population will suffer from Rocacea for a shorter or longer period in their lives. The disease is characterized by redness in the face, visible blood vessels, blushing, and an acne-like rash, and attacs both the sebaceous glands and the blood vessels of the face.

The ultimate cause of rosacea is still unknown, but the disease may have some genetic, hereditary elements. As many as 40% of the sufferers have a relative who has the same disease. Increased blood circulation and over sensitive blood vessels contribute to the rash.

Earlier one thought that the disease was caused by a mite in the skin named Demodex folliculorum, but new research has revealed that this microbe is not the main cause of the disease, even if some researchers mean that this microbe is an aggravating agent. The most recent research on rosacea indicates that there are increased levels of cathelicidin and serinprotease (peptides produced by micro-organisms). High levels of these peptides leads to inflammation and formation of new blood vessels. That microbes are involved is clear enough.

The disease is frequent in both sexes, but is more common with women between 30 to 50 years of age. It is rare in dark skinned, and more frequent in fair skinned people. Males are often more severely affected, and often develop different degrees of rhinophyma (red, bulbous nose), which by the way, has nothing to do with high alcohol consumption.

The most common symptoms are redness and acne like rash in the face (pustules), most usually located around the nose and ckeeks, but may show up anywhere in the face. The redness is often aggravated by sunlight. It may be slightly painful, and often gives an uncomfortable feeling of heat in the skin, and the blushing is a very usual problem. When rosacea has affected the skin for many years, the visible blood vessels start to show up,- the so called telangiectasias or spider naevi.

Older men with roasacea may develop red and enlarged nose, as the disease affects the sebaceous glands on the nose. It is called rhinophyma. Eye symptoms in the form of dermatitis of the eye lids may appear (blepharitis), and inflammation of the conjunctivae (conjuncivitis) and inflammation of the cornea (keratitis) may also be part of the symptomatology.

Rosacea may appear different from person to person. It has therefore been divided into b>four different main groups based on the different appearances. The treatment differs for the four different sub types, and the four different sub types may be classified as mild, moderate and severe:

Rosacea is often aggravated by different external factors. These factors varies from person to person. Alcohol, sunlight, hot drinks, psychological stress, wind, changes of temperature, menstruation, medicines and drugs and pungent and spicy food are common aggravators.

Cortison (steroid) creams may give side effects in the form of rashes that closely resembles rosacea. The enlarged and often deformed nose (rhinophyma) has by many unjustly been associated with high intake of alcohol. This is not the case, and many sufferers feels socially stigmatized by this unfounded attitude.

There is no cure for rosacea, but there are effective treatments, and with effective treatment the prognosis is good. Acne rosacea may disappear by itself and burn out after months or years.

The diagnosis is made by a doctor after examining the skin. There are no confirming blood tests. In some cases a biopsy is taken to exclude other causes of similar rashes.

Rosacea may be difficult to distinguish from acne. An important difference is the age group affected by the two different skin diseases. The absence of black spots (skin worms or comedons) and proper age makes rosacea more probable. Other diseases that must be excluded by the doctor are perioral dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, sun rash, lupus and sarcoidosis.

Treatment of type 1-rosacea: The target for the treatment is to reduce the redness of the skin and to prevent aggravations and outbreaks. It is important to identify aggravationg factors, and to avoid them (see above). Suncream during the day is highly recommended.

Creams that reduce the inflammation, like Rozex (metronidazol). Aberela-cream (A-vitamine acid) may also be useful, but may irritate the skin. The best treatment for the persistent redness is lazer treatment (see below). It is considered very effective against the redness and the visible blood vessels. The above mentioned moisturizer helps to reduce the redness, or one may even use a mild make-up.

For pronounced symptoms, tetracylin tablets may be necessary. These are antibiotics that must be taken for several weeks. This treatment is usually very effective, but topical treatments is usually necessary after the tablets as a maintainance. Protopic (tacrolimus) is a new cream that may have some effect, but its place in the treatment is yet a matter of uncertainty. In special cases Roaccutan (isotretinoin) may be tried.

Essential oils may be used with very good results. There is not one essential oils that cures it, but a special blend of different oils from Amoils yields very good results on the redness, bumps (papules) and acne formation (pustules), and may be a very good help with living with acne rosacea.