Rosacea is a chronic skin condition involving inflammation of the cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, or eyelids. It may appear as redness, prominent spider-like blood vessels, swelling, or skin eruptions similar to acne.
Alternative Names:
Acne rosacea
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Although the cause of rosacea is unknown, you are more likely to develop this harmless skin condition if:
You are fair skinned.
You blush easily.
You are a woman. However, men are usually more severely affected.
You are between the ages of 30 and 50.
Rosacea involves enlargement of the blood vessels just under the skin and may be associated with other skin disorders (acne vulgaris, seborrhea) or eye disorders (blepharitis, keratitis).
Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:760-761.
Review Date: 5/3/2006
Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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