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Dermatology Community
This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.
what's wrong with my face? (possibly papulopustular rosacea)
by supercomputer12, Jul 21, 2008 11:36PM
in the past few years i have been plagued by a constantly irritatated face, and now that i'm at college i'm really getting sick of it. when i leave the house, i am forced to use coverup because i'm so self-conscious about it. the problem is, every time i go to the dermatologist, they never mention it to me (i know, i should have asked). my face is "always a little red" and looks like it has acne, although the red bumps are below the skin and most of them do not turn into whiteheads. there are also splotches of blemishes on both sides, which is what makes it look red. based on my research i think that it's some kind of mild papulopustular rosacea.
for my face i'm currently taking hydrocortisone valerate (westcort) for my extreme dryness and inflamation and i've been trying some of my dad's sodium sulfacetamide, which he uses for his rosacea. neither of them seem to be doing much good.
please look at the attached picture. what is wrong with my face and what can i do about it so i don't have to wear makeup?
for my face i'm currently taking hydrocortisone valerate (westcort) for my extreme dryness and inflamation and i've been trying some of my dad's sodium sulfacetamide, which he uses for his rosacea. neither of them seem to be doing much good.
please look at the attached picture. what is wrong with my face and what can i do about it so i don't have to wear makeup?
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Rosacea is characterized by red domed papules (small bumps) and pustules, on the central face and across the cheeks, nose, or forehead but can also less commonly affect the neck and chest.
Rosacea has a hereditary component, which is obvious in your case.
The redness on the face that you have mentioned is part of the condition.
The disorder can be confused with, and co-exist with acne vulgaris and/or seborrhoeic dermatitis.
It is important to have a gentle skin cleansing regimen using non-irritating cleansers. Protection from the sun is important and daily use of a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 containing a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Treatment depends on individual symptoms and extent of the rash. Oral tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline) and topical antibiotics such as metronidazole are usually the first line of treatment.
Topical azelaic acid such as Finacea (15%) or Skinoren (20%) may help reduce inflammatory lesions, bumps and papules. Oral antibiotics may help to relieve symptoms of ocular rosacea.
If papules and pustules persist, then sometimes isotretinoin can be prescribed. Isotretinoin has many side effects and is normally used to treat severe acne but in low dosages is proven to be effective against papulopustular and phymatous rosacea.
Dermatological vascular laser (single wavelength) or Intense Pulsed Light (broad spectrum) machines offer one of the best treatments for rosacea, in particular the erythema (redness) of the skin.
ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosacea