Rosacea: Chronic inflammation of the facial skin

In adults over 30, rosacea is one of the most common skin diseases of the face. Which treatment helps? And what should be considered when buying creams and care products?

What is rosacea?

Rosacea is an inflammatory, relapsing, chronic skin disease that usually begins in adulthood. Since it manifests itself among other things through itchy, burning reddening of the skin on the face, the disease was formerly called facial rose, copper rose, coupe rose, copper fins, or red fins.

Rosacea is a non-infectious, chronic inflammatory skin disease. In rosacea, the fine veins of the facial skin are typically dilated, especially in the area of the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. The corresponding skin areas appear reddened. Other signs of rosacea are nodules (papules) and pimples (pustules) on the face, which appear in phases. During the course of the disease, nodular thickening of the nose (rhinophyma, colloquially known as a nasal bulb, potato, or drunkard’s nose) may occasionally develop.

Rosacea usually begins between the ages of 30 and 50. Preliminary stages, especially sudden, persistent facial redness, are often visible earlier.

Who is affected?

Although rosacea is widespread – in Germany alone an estimated two to five percent of adults suffer from it – many affected people know nothing about their disease.

Especially people with very fair skin color, reddish or light blonde hair, light eyes, freckles, and a tendency to sunburn are affected.

Although on average more women experience rosacea, the symptoms are often much more severe in men.

For both sexes, the disease usually sets in between the ages of 30 and 50. However, there are also people who get the disease earlier. Younger women, for example, can also be affected by the skin disease, which can manifest itself, among other things, through volatile, seizure-like redness and easily irritated skin on the face.

Symptoms of rosacea

Usually, the symptoms associated with rosacea occur in relapses. The disease manifests itself particularly in the middle of the face (forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks).

The most noticeable symptoms of rosacea are sudden reddening of the skin (so-called “flushes”), permanent redness (erythema), visibly dilated blood vessels in the skin (telangiectasia) as well as nodules (papules) and pus pimples (pustules). In addition, there is lymphedema, i.e. accumulations of lymph fluids and possibly also symptoms such as itching, stinging, or burning of the skin.

Rosacea treatment: care & drug therapy

With the right treatment rosacea (rosacea) can usually be brought under control. However, no one treatment works equally well for all patients. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to combine different treatment options.

Creams & Medications

Soolantra alternative cream with ivermectin 1% can help with mild rosacea. This active ingredient is applied to the skin in the form of a gel and can reduce redness by constricting the blood vessels. However, the redness usually does not disappear completely and recurs after twelve hours at the latest. Therefore, the gel is normally applied (once) daily.

If rosacea has reached a more advanced stage in which the inflammatory processes in the skin manifest themselves not only as redness but also as pustules, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory creams. These are applied daily over a period of several months and usually take effect within three to four weeks.

In order to successfully treat rosacea, it is also important for the person affected to find out which factors worsen the appearance of his or her skin – and then consistently avoid them