Even though she is 34 years old, Ms. Pham Hoang Lan (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City) still cannot use any cosmetics on her skin, even those advertised as "vegan" and non-irritating to sensitive skin.
After giving birth, her facial skin became more sensitive, often red, hot and uncomfortable. "I really wanted to take care of my skin to improve the aging condition, but every time I used any cosmetic product, I had an allergic reaction to it," Ms. Hoang Lan shared.
Regarding the above symptoms, Master, Doctor Ngo Anh Tuan, Department of Dermatology - Skin Aesthetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said: "For most people, rosacea is quite unfamiliar. The name of this disease can make people misunderstand that it is related to acne with red skin.
However, this is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, unrelated to the acne we often think of. In rosacea, the blood vessels in the patient's skin show abnormalities, such as vasodilation and the release of neuroactive substances, causing paresthesia on the skin. The disease has many different forms."
Rosacea is usually studied in patients with fair skin or people from Western countries. However, recent studies show that rosacea is also increasingly common in Asians and Africans.
"This increased detection may be due to the development of diagnostic techniques in dermatology, which has helped the diagnosis rate of rosacea to be almost equal between races," Dr. Anh Tuan shared.
The cause of the disease is thought to be genetic; people with rosacea often have skin disorders. Rosacea is also linked to a type of bacteria that normally lives on the skin called Demodex, which everyone has. However, in people with the disease, the Demodex bacteria become overactive, causing the disease.
Women over the age of 30 are at risk of this disease, usually occurring between the ages of 40-50. Rosacea has many different forms, each with its own characteristics, and importantly, a person can have multiple forms at the same time.
Among the forms of rosacea, the most common form is papulopustular. People with this form often confuse it with acne; papulopustular lesions often grow in small, inflamed areas on the central part of the face and leave scars, causing loss of aesthetics.
“In patients with rosacea, this is not a disease caused by sebum blockage, but is caused by chronic inflammation and immune cell disorders, so these pustules are not present in hair follicles and do not have hidden acne,” Dr. Anh Tuan emphasized.
In addition, there may be other symptoms such as erythema, red skin... Each type of disease has different symptoms, which need to be accurately diagnosed by a doctor. If the papulopustular form is not treated promptly, it can leave unsightly scars; while the erythematous form can cause itching, irritation and discomfort. Patients with erythema often have sensitive skin, which will be difficult to improve if not treated properly.
