A Sign Of The Times In Rosacea Research

The following appeared on the news column at the Rosacea Research Foundation:
The RRF is no longer accepting donations and is winding down with the aim of filing our disolution papers by December 31.
It is with sorry that we see the closing of this foundation.

SansRosa Purchased BY CollaGenex

CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it will buy SansRosa Pharmaceutical Development Inc., an assignee of patent applications for the treatment of redness associated with rosacea and other skin disorders.
CollaGenex, a dental and dermatology drug maker, in a news release, said it will pay an initial amount of $750,000 for 51 percent of SansRosa's shares.
The remaining shares will be purchased upon the achievement of various milestones, CollaGenex said.
If the milestones are achieved and a patented product is developed and approved for sale, CollaGenex will pay the shareholders of SansRosa an additional $4 million to $6 million, the company said.

Factors In Rosacea

Rosacea is a long-term skin disorder characterised by redness, flushing, pimples, visible blood vessels and, in advanced stages, thickened skin. The eyes may also be affected, appearing watery or bloodshot and can be prone to styes.
Rosacea usually affects adults between the ages of 30 and 60 and is more common in women than men, particularly during menopause. It tends to occur most frequently and noticeably in people with fair skin and can be hereditary.
Some factors which could aggravate the condition are heat, including hot baths, strenuous exercise, sunlight, wind, very cold temperatures, hot or spicy foods and drinks, alcohol consumption, emotional stress and long-term use of topical steroids on the face.

There are typically four different types of Rosacea:
Flushing and persistent redness, which may also include visible blood vessels.
Persistent redness with transient bumps and pimples.
Skin thickening, often resulting in an enlargement of the nose from excess tissue.
Dry eyes, often with burning or stinging, swollen eyelids and recurrent styes.

Rosacea can be very upsetting for sufferers, so if you think you have it, here are some tips to keep it under control:
Keep a written record of when flare-ups occur to provide clues regarding what is irritating the skin and limit these as much as possible.
Wear a sunscreen or moisturiser which has a UV filter of SPF factor 15 or higher.
Always use mild skin products and avoid applying any irritating cosmetics to the face.
Use water-based products and avoid those that contain alcohol, witch hazel, tea tree oil, acetone, eucalyptus oil, clove oil, peppermint oil, menthol, lanolin or mineral oil.
Men may find it helpful to use an electric shaver.
Oral antibiotics prescribed by your doctor may help but is not a long-term solution.
To conceal the redness, use a yellow-tinted foundation or a green make-up base.
Laser surgery is an option if red lines caused by dilated blood vessels appear in the skin and may improve the skin's appearance with little scarring or damage.

Facial Redness

Rosacea is a chronic condition that first appears as a flushing or subtle redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead. Rosacea progresses from intermittent mild redness to persistent ruddiness and permanent, dilated blood vessels and acne-like bumps.

Rosacea responds well to treatment, but is not curable. Treatment includes prescription topical and oral antibiotics, which help prevent pimples and redness. In severe cases, Accutane may also be prescribed. Pulsed-dye lasers such as the Vbeam (cost, $500) can treat broken capillaries and may decrease the need for topical medication. Gentle, hypoallergenic products are also in order.

To prevent redness, identify -- and then try to avoid -- what triggers your episodes of intense flushing and blushing. Common triggers are spicy or piping-hot foods, caffeine, alcohol, stress, heat, sun, wind, exercise and anything -- including facial steaming, massage and hot water -- that brings blood to the face. Switch to physical sunblocks. They're less likely to irritate skin since they contain ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that reflect UV rays and aren't absorbed into skin. To ensure complete protection from UVB rays, Maritza Perez advises one with octyl methoxycinnamate, which, she says, is the most hypoallergenic.

Brady Barrows Starts Another New Forum

In a recent post on teh rosaceans yahoo support group, Brady made this announcement:

I have finally mastered php enough to make a private rosaceans forum at this url http://www.forum.rosaceans.com/index.php

We will see if this proves more popular than this yahoo group. php has proven a better medium to post on rosacea.

Brady Barrows

Conditions That May Occur With Roscea

You can actually have more than one skin condition at a time! Many other skin conditions can occur at the same time as rosacea or have symptoms similar to rosacea. In some cases, treatment of one skin condition can lead to another skin condition.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent, but can also affect adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. While there is no permanent cure for acne, it is controllable. Often the harsher treatments used in the treatment of acne such as accutane, retinoids, Azelaic acid, and benzoyl peroxide can aggravate the sensitive facial skin leading to the occurrence of rosacea. Rosacea can occur with acne or become the result of the treatment of acne.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Psoriasis causes the skin to become inflamed, while producing red, thickened areas with silvery scales. This persistent skin disease occurs most often on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. In some cases, psoriasis is so mild that people don't know they have it. At the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body. Psoriasis, frequently treated with topical steroids will cause thinning of the skin and blood vessels causing the tell-tale blush or flush of rosacea.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the word Eczema is used to describe all kinds of red, blistering, oozing, scaly, brownish, thickened, and itching skin conditions. Again eczema is often treated with steroids leading to a steroid-induced rosacea condition.
Seborrheic Dermatitis can coexist with rosacea. Approximately 35% of people with rosacea have seborrheic dermatitis which makes for an even more sensitive skin condition. Seborrheic dermatitis involves overactive sebaceous glands which cause inflammation, flaking and a red rash in the central portion of the face. If one looks closely, the flakes usually have a greasy look, smell and feel. The dryness of seborrheic dermatitis is perceived because of the flaking which consists of dried layers of accumulated oil. Seborrheic dermatitis causes yellowish scales to develop on the scalp, the hairline and the eyebrows; which is often confused with the crusting and scaling on the eyelids that occur with ocular rosacea. A doctor should check any scaling around the eyes, as the potential side effects of ocular rosacea are more serious than those of seborrheic dermatitis.Topical steroids used in the treatment of dermatitis can create steroid induced rosacea. This condition typically worsens when the steroid is stopped. In an unfortunate cycle the steroid may be reapplied to diminish the redness which only worsens the condition.

Discoid (cutaneous) lupus is always limited to the skin and is identified by a rash that may appear on the face, neck and scalp. Discoid lupus accounts for approximately 10% of all cases. Skin rashes occur in approximately 74% of all lupus cases. Photosensitivity occurs in approximately 30% of lupus sufferers. 42% of lupus cases are distinguished by a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose.