Rosacea and Other Skin Conditions

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDReviewed by Sally Robertson, B.Sc.

Studies have shown that patients with rosacea also often have to cope with other skin conditions and it has been reported by the National Rosacea Society that treatments for these other conditions may help to reduce rosacea flare-ups.

A recent report from the society showed that of 1,141 rosacea patients, 55% had suffered from another skin disorder at some point in their lifetime. Some of the most commonly reported of these were:

• Atopic dermatitis or eczema (seen in 32% of patients). The underlying causes of these two conditions are different but irritants present in chemicals or cosmetics may aggravate either condition if they make contact with the skin
• Seborrheic dermatitis or crust formation over the scalp, forehead and sometimes back and chest (31%)
• Acne vulgaris or severe acne (29%) See "Rosacea and acne"
• Skin cancer (28%)
• Psoriasis or a red scaly autoimmune condition of the skin (16%)
• Actinic keratosis or the formation of rough reddish patches (14%)
• Folliculitis or infection of hair follicles (5%)
• Perioral dermatitis or rash around the mouth (3%)

Many of these skin conditions and their associations with rosacea have not been substantiated in large population-based studies and further research is therefore required. Experts, however, believe that different conditions may affect the same skin type. The fair skin type that is the most susceptible to rosacea, for example, is also the skin type most prone to skin cancer from excess sun exposure.

Furthermore, several autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis, mimic features of rosacea and are often mistaken for rosacea.

Further Reading

• All Rosacea Content
• Rosacea - Facial Redness
• Rosacea Symptoms
• Rosacea Epidemiology
• Rosacea Subtypes