WHAT IS ACNE ROSACEA?

The term "acne rosacea" was first used by Dr. Thomas Bateman in 1812, who noted: "The perfect cure of acne rosacea is, in fact, never accomplished." Other 19th century references commonly listed rosacea among the different forms of acne.

By 1891, Dr. Henri G. Piffard, a professor of dermatology in New York, called for distinctions among different forms of acne to more truly differentiate symptoms.

Today, dermatologists confirm that rosacea is a distinct skin condition distinctly separate from, rather than a form or type of acne.  It is also noted that acne treatments can be the cause of rosacea or make rosacea symptoms worse.

 Advances in rosacea research have also dispelled the centuries-old myth that rosacea is caused by heavy consumption of alcohol. While alcohol may aggravate rosacea, the symptoms of rosacea can be just as severe in one who never consumes alcohol.

Acne rosacea is a misleading term: rosacea and acne are two entirely different conditions, although they can and do appear together. Clogged skin pores and bacterial infections cause acne. Rosacea occurs when blood vessels move to just below the skin's surface, leading to blotchy red patches. These blotches fade and then return, becoming more permanent over time.