Is Rosacea a Type of Acne?

woman with rosacea on her faceMany people have the misconception that rosacea is a form of acne vulgaris. This is mainly because its symptoms are very similar and people use acne treatment methods to get rid of rosacea. To further confuse the matter, rosacea is sometimes known as acne rosacea or even adult acne. Just like acne vulgaris, rosacea is also a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit. However, the factors that cause rosacea are different from the ones that cause acne vulgaris.

Common symptoms of rosacea:

You feel symptoms like redness or flushing of the face, it might be that you are suffering from rosacea. It is usually formed as small sized, red pimple like breakouts on the face. However, unlike acne vulgaris, there will not be any formation of blackheads or comedones. You may see the development of capillaries on the skin, further contributing to the redness of the face. The acne rosacea treatment should be done at this stage, before it becomes severe.

Unlike the common acne, the rosacea can wax and wane when treated with proper acne rosacea treatment. The small sized capillaries in the face of the patient suffering from rosacea are over-sensitive. Certain factors can cause the capillaries in the face to dilate or swell. Some of the common factors are as follows:

  • Exposure to sun
  • Eating spicy foods
  • Drinking hot beverages or alcohol
  • Exposure to extremely hot or cold weather
  • Emotional Stress

Where does rosacea occur?

Acne can occur anywhere, on the face, back, neck, or shoulders. But rosacea is limited to the center of the face, especially the cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead. Rosacea is also known as adult acne, because unlike the common acne which normally happens in the teenage, rosacea occurs after a person reaches the age of 30.

Acne Rosacea Treatment:

Many people who have mild rosacea sometimes don’t even realize that they have the skin disorder. Women get used to covering up the redness with makeup. Some people even take them as adult acne breakouts, and treat them with the several over-the-counter acne treatment products available in the market.

The probable acne rosacea treatment includes the oral or topical antibiotics. Some of the acne treatment medications such as azelaic acid are also used to treat rosacea. Although the acne treatment methods work effectively on rosacea, it is strongly recommended that you do not go ahead with any kind of over the counter acne treatment products, without consulting your dermatologist. You dermatologist will be able to do the right diagnosis and prescribe a suitable rosacea treatment method.