Phymatous Rosacea Treatment In Gainesville, FL

Living with rosacea is often frustrating and uncomfortable. Rosacea is a prevalent condition, affecting more than an estimated 16 million adults. Unlike other other forms of rosacea, phymatous rosacea creates excess skin tissue growth. This form of rosacea is considered the last stage of rosacea, marked by severe, distressing symptoms. If you or a loved one is suffering from phymatous rosacea, treatments from a dermatologist in Gainesville with Gainesville Dermatology & Skin Surgery can help restore your skin's appearance and health. Our Gainesville dermatology team develops personalized treatment plans for each patient throughout each stage of treatment and for a wide range of skin conditions. Contact our office today to schedule a dermatologist appointment and to learn more about our available services.

What Is Phymatous Rosacea?

Phymatous rosacea, also known as subtype 3 rosacea, is a rare form of rosacea categorized as the most severe form of the condition. As with other forms of rosacea, phymatous rosacea causes the skin to redden. Yet, phymatous rosacea also creates excess growth of skin tissue that can lead to the disfiguration of facial features. Patients with phymatous rosacea will likely require clinical treatments to restore the appearance of their skin and reduce symptoms, if at-home symptom management does not suffice. For more information, please call our office.

Phymatous Rosacea Symptoms

Phymatous rosacea causes excess skin tissue growth in affected areas. Phymatous rosacea symptoms result in the thickening of the skin as well as irregularities to the surface of the skin in the form of nodules as well as enlargement of facial features, and the presence of dry skin. Subtype 3 rosacea causes the skin to thicken and scar, making it feel bumpy and swollen and sometimes appear discolored. This rare, yet treatable, rosacea type predominantly affects the nose, resulting in rhinophyma or a bulbous nose, which appears more frequently in men than women. This condition can also affect other areas containing skin, including the ears, chin, forehead, cheeks, and eyelids. Rhinophyma, or the development of a red, enlarged, bumpy, bulbous nose, is the symptom most often connected with phymatous rosacea. Individuals with mild phymatous rosacea may not experience significantly troubling symptoms, but depending on how the nose enlarges and the locations of the nodules near the nostrils, rhinophyma from phymatous rosacea can result in difficulty breathing. Unlike other forms of rosacea, phymatous rosacea can cause the skin to appear red or yellow with a waxy texture. These are just a few reasons why consulting your board-certified dermatologist about phymatous rosacea is crucial.

What Causes Phymatous Rosacea?

As with other forms of rosacea, the exact cause of phymatous rosacea is unknown. However, the root of the skin condition is thought to be related to inflammation. In phymatous rosacea, researchers point to inflammation as the cause for the increase in the size of the sebaceous glands and the amount of connective tissue and collagen in the skin. Alcohol consumption is a commonly thought cause of phymatous rosacea, but this is incorrect. In some cases, alcohol can trigger symptoms of phymatous rosacea, as it can for other forms of rosacea. However, there is no cause-and-effect association between alcohol and rhinophyma. The stigma that an individual with rhinophyma drinks alcohol excessively often further contributes to the negative consequences this condition can have on one's emotional, mental, and social well-being.

How Is Phymatous Rosacea Diagnosed?

In terms of diagnosing rosacea, no specific test is used to diagnose this condition. Instead, your dermatologist relies on the history of your symptoms and a thorough examination of your skin. Your doctor may recommend certain tests to rule out other conditions which may present with similar symptoms, such as psoriasis or lupus. Research shows that in people of color, rosacea can sometimes be missed or misdiagnosed as an allergic reaction to the skin or a condition known as seborrheic dermatitis. If your phymatous rosacea symptoms involve your eyes, your dermatologist may refer you to an eye specialist for further evaluation.

How Is Phymatous Rosacea Treated?

The primary focus of phymatous rosacea treatment is to help patients control the signs and symptoms of their condition. Most often, rosacea treatment requires a combination of prescription medication, dermatology treatments and therapies, and good skincare. The duration and specific type or types of treatment depend on the type and severity of your signs and symptoms. For more information, contact Gainesville Dermatology & Skin Surgery.

Oral Medications

Prescription medications sometimes given for treating rosacea, such as phymatous rosacea, include oral antibiotics and oral acne drugs. Your provider may prescribe an oral antibiotic, such as doxycycline, for moderate-to-severe rosacea with bumps and pimple-like growths. If you have severe rosacea that does not respond to other therapies, your provider may suggest isotretinoin, a powerful oral medication used to clear up acne lesions from rosacea. Individuals who are pregnant should not use this drug, however, as it may cause severe birth defects. For more information on oral medications for treating phymatous rosacea, contact us.

Dermatology Surgery

For patients with rhinophyma, dermatology surgery is thought to be the best treatment option for long-term success. You and your dermatologist have several options to choose from when it comes to treatments used to remove thickened skin, including microdermabrasion, CO2 laser treatments, and VBeam® laser treatments. Dermabrasion uses a rotating tool to remove the top layer of skin. Because this method removes skin on only the surface level, it is typically used in conjunction with other treatment methods. Scalpel excision involves using a blade to manually remove excess tissue. Electrosurgery, another treatment that produces positive results, uses a high-frequency current to remove the excess skin. Another option is cryosurgery, which freezes off excess tissue using very cold temperatures. This method is minimally invasive yet provides less control over the depth of the skin tissue removed when compared with other forms of surgery. Patients may require several treatment sessions in order to achieve their desired results.

Skincare For Rosacea

As part of your customized, comprehensive treatment plan, your dermatologist will recommend a rosacea-friendly skincare regimen to help facilitate healthy, beautiful skin while helping treat common rosacea signs and symptoms. With phymatous rosacea, it's often best to continue to follow the recommendations provided for all types of rosacea, including wearing a rosacea-friendly, broad-spectrum sunscreen every day and using gentle, dermatologist-recommended skincare products each day. Your dermatologist may recommend custom facials individualized to the needs of your unique skin as well.

Avoiding Rosacea Triggers

Rosacea triggers can increase the blood flow to the surface of your skin, worsening your rosacea symptoms. This is why avoiding the following triggers may help improve the appearance of your skin and reduce redness. To minimize flare-ups, you should avoid the following. Minimizing exposure to these triggers likely won't impact the size and shape of rhinophyma, but it may improve the coloration of your skin.

Spicy foods
Hot beverages
Alcohol
Caffeine
Emotional stress, such as anxiety
Extreme temperatures (hot or cold)
Exposure to sunlight
Rigorous physical activity