Black Rosacea - Dr. Valerie Callender

Can black people get rosacea? I ask because I'm a fair-skinned African American woman and I have reddish patches (breakouts) on my face (the cheek and chin area), and I was wondering if these could indicate rosacea. I haven't gone to a dermatologist yet because I figured I just had sensitive skin that was irritated, but this just won't go away.-- Tonya, Silver Spring, MD

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition of the face that commonly occurs in light-skinned persons of Celtic, Dutch, Irish or English ancestry, but all races may be affected -- including blacks. It frequently occurs in women between the ages of 30 and 50. The exact cause of rosacea is unknown.

The condition is often referred to as "adult acne" and usually begins as a tendency to flush or blush easily. The affected areas are very sensitive, and skin care products may increasingly cause irritation. The skin progresses to redness with small red bumps on the central areas of the face -- cheeks, forehead, chin and nose.

Rosacea differs from typical acne because it is not associated with the appearance of blackheads and whiteheads. With advanced cases, tiny blood vessels on the surface of the skin may develop and the sebaceous (oil) glands on the nose will enlarge -- this is called rhinophyma. Also, about 50 percent of people with rosacea have conjunctivitis of the eyes.

There are several factors that exacerbate rosacea, which include hot beverages (coffee, tea), caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol and exercise.

Treatment consists of:

Oral antibiotics -- Tetracycline, Doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx), Minocycline (Dynacin)
Topical antibiotics -- metronidazole (MetroGel, MetroLotion, MetroCream & Noritate)
Topical azelaic acid gel (Finacae)
Sulfur/Sulfacetonide cleansers (Rosanil, Plexion) or lotions (Klaron, Plexion)
Mild cleansers and moisturizers with sunscreen
Avoiding astringents, toners, glycolic acid products and facial scrubs, which can further irritate the skin
Using oil-free powdered makeup products -- such as Jane Iredal's Mineral Cosmetics
Avoiding aggravating factors -- keep a diary of flushing episodes and write down associated foods or beverages
Exercising in a cool environment