Rosacea Rhinophyma Strawberry Nose Can Creams Cure It

Hello. I am Dr. Lee Sang-ju, a board-certified dermatologist. As the weather gets colder, many people worry about rosacea, medically known as strawberry nose, which causes the nose to redden. After covering the causes and treatments of rosacea in the last video, I will now answer your questions about rosacea treatment.

After COVID-19, mask-wearing became commonplace, and there was indeed an increase in rosacea and acne patients. Wearing a mask for extended periods can worsen rosacea symptoms on the nose. Rosacea is a disease caused by inflammation over a long period rather than a short one, so it does not appear immediately after wearing a mask once or twice, but continuous use can exacerbate symptoms.

In such cases, the most important treatment is to reduce inflammation. In addition to medication that reduces inflammation, we recommend reducing mask use, as the mask mandate has recently been lifted.

Some individuals who had oily skin and acne on their nose during their school years experience redness with even slight irritation as adults. If there was a lot of acne on the nose, scars often remain, making the skin bumpy.

Rosacea tends to appear later in life, often in middle-aged men in their 40s and 50s, characterized by active sebum secretion and dilated blood vessels. Therefore, acne scars on the nose and rosacea can be different conditions, but both can also occur together. For an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, it is important to consult a dermatologist.

As rosacea symptoms worsen, the nose can become bumpy and pores can enlarge due to the following reasons:

• Vascular dilation and increased vascular pressure: Blood vessels dilate and vascular pressure increases, causing the nose to swell.
• Inflammatory changes and fibrosis: Rosacea is an inflammatory disease, and repeated inflammation can lead to an increase in fibrous tissue, like scars, making the nose bumpy.
• Sebaceous gland hypertrophy: The nose naturally has many sebaceous glands, but with rosacea, these glands can enlarge further, leading to increased sebum secretion and enlarged pores.

These complex factors contribute to the nose swelling, reddening, and becoming bumpy.

Having rosacea does not mean that nose surgery or mole removal on the nose is impossible. However, there may be a slightly higher chance of inflammation compared to individuals without rosacea. Therefore, it is advisable to pay more attention to post-surgical care or post-mole removal care.

Alternatively, it could be an option to proceed with nose surgery or mole removal after the rosacea symptoms have been treated to some extent.

It is known that rosacea can occur due to inflammation caused by skin tissue damage. Medication can help recover damaged skin and reduce inflammation. However, medication alone may not directly treat already dilated blood vessels or enlarged fibrous tissue.

Many people wonder if skin conditions can be treated with cosmetics like moisturizing creams alone. Moisturizing creams can help alleviate rosacea symptoms by preventing skin dryness. However, moisturizing creams alone do not completely cure rosacea. It is best to use appropriate treatment methods along with moisturizing creams.

Antibiotics (oral or topical) can help reduce inflammation and improve symptoms like redness or pimples. However, structural changes such as a bumpy nose are difficult to treat with antibiotics alone. In such cases, laser treatment or surgical methods may be necessary.

We have now addressed various questions related to rosacea (strawberry nose) treatment. Since rosacea can be accompanied by diverse symptoms and treatment methods can be complex, it is crucial to consult a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan.