Rosacea is usually diagnosed through physical examination. If the dermatologist suspects that you may have a separate skin condition, or if your rosacea symptoms look similar to those of other conditions, a skin swab may be taken.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of rosacea, rash, or problems with your skin, please make an appointment to meet with one of our consultant dermatologists, who can give you a diagnosis & advise you on the best options for treatment.
The main symptoms of rosacea are a rash consisting of redness (erythema) or pink skin, swelling, pimples, papules, pustules, & the appearance of small blood vessels on the skin. The rash usually appears on the face but can also appear on the ears, scalp, chest, or neck. Symptoms may come & go, with periods of worsening & then easing up.
Episodes of rosacea flare-ups can be preceded by flushing or blushing of the face, & may be accompanied by sensations of heat, burning, or stinging.
Symptoms can include an emotional & psychological component (anxiety, depression, embarrassment), due to the long-term & severe character of the symptoms, which in some cases can drastically affect & permanently affect the physical appearance.
In very severe cases, rosacea can cause the nose to redden & enlarge (rhinophyma).
The symptoms of rosacea share some similarities with or may appear in conjunction with other skin conditions such as acne vulgaris & seborrheic dermatitis, particularly if the symptoms include bumpy spots or pus-filled lesions.
Definition
Rosacea is a chronic (long-term) skin condition causing discoloration of the skin, mostly affecting the face. Rosacea involves redness or pink skin, papules, pustules, pimples, swelling, & small dilated blood vessels appearing at the skin surface.
Symptoms
There are different types of rosacea which present with different symptoms.
- Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: permanent redness; regular flushing & blushing; small, dilated blood vessels visible on the skin surface; intense burning, stinging or itching; flaky, dry, sensitive skin. Affects the face & sometimes also the ears, neck, chest, upper back, & scalp.
- Papulopustular rosacea: permanent redness, papules, pustules, often confused with acne.
- Phymatous rosacea: thickening skin, irregular surface nodularities, & thickening skin around the nose or enlargement of the nose (rhinophyma), chin (gnathophyma), forehead (metophyma), cheeks, eyelids (blepharophyma), & ears (otophyma).
- Ocular rosacea: redness affecting the eyes & eyelids (blepharitis), with dry, irritated, or gritty feeling eyes, telangiectasias (spider veins or small visible veins), photosensitivity, & inflammation.
Rosacea can also cause the frequent occurrence of chalazions, lumps in the eyelid which can be painful (they are different from styes).
