Rosacea is a chronic and progressive rash on the face that comes in several forms.

           1) Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: this form has broken blood vessels on the cheeks and nose and recurrent or persistent "flushing" of the face.

            2) Papulopustular Rosacea: this form of rosacea more closely resembles acne because it has "pimple"-like red and yellow bumps and usually also has a background of redness, broken blood vessels, and persistent recurrent flushing.

            3) Ocular Rosacea: this form affects the eyes and causes a dry, grainy feeling in the eye with inflammation and redness of the lids.

           4) Rhinophyma: this form results in a large, red, glandular-like nose. I think of Santa Clause has having a classic case of Rhinophyma with his rosy large nose.

You can certainly have overlap of the subtypes of Rosacea. Treatment varies depending on the type but can include topical therapies, oral medication, trigger-avoidance, and intense pulsed light (IPL) aka "photofacial" to markedly decrease redness and bumps. It is important to identify your triggers; the daily activities that make you flush and feel heat on your face. These usually include alcohol, sun exposure, hot beverages like coffee, spicy foods, and stress. Everyone with rosacea should be using a gentle moisturizer to repair the skin barrier and a daily sunscreen because the sun is a major contributor. I recommend Elta UV clear because it offers excellent protection but it also includes niacinamide which is proven to calm rosacea. Your Dermatologist can help you determine a customized rosacea treatment plan based on your specific rosacea symptoms. At Cinco Ranch Dermatology, we offer a broad scope of treatment modalities, including state-of-the-art intense pulsed light (IPL) photo-facial treatments.