Rosacea: Diagnosis and Management PDF

Preface

Shakespeare wrote about it, Rembrandt painted his self-portrait showing it, W.C. Fields made it his trademark in the movies, and both President Clinton and Princess Diana suffered from it!

Disorders that cause redness or inflammation of facial skin are a subject the general public has little knowledge of and about which the medical community has a poor understanding. At least one person in every ten in the adult population has a significant problem with increased facial redness (flushing, blushing, or rosacea), making these conditions more common than diabetes or asthma.

Disorders of frequent flushing or blushing may appear to be trivial complaints to those who do not suffer from them, but can be major problems to those afflicted, affecting both their personal and professional lives. Similarly, persistent redness and inflammation of the face or nose (rosacea) is often dismissed as a minor problem and sufferers can become the subject for "humorous" remarks. The enlargement or distortion of the nose (rhinophyma) that sometimes is seen in patients with rosacea is commonly (and incorrectly) thought to result from alcohol abuse, enhancing the social stigmatization that these individuals endure.

The reality is that people who develop these conditions have physical problems that arise for reasons that are not of their own making and that are not related to dietary or alcohol indiscretion. They suffer not only the discomfort of their disorders (which can affect not only the skin but the eyes as well), but at times social stigmatization.

This book is intended to bring a better level of knowledge of these problems to clinicians who treat patients with these disorders. It is hoped that it will stimulate interest as well as understanding so that the care of patients with rosacea will be improved.