I suffer from regular acne in addition to rosacea. Is this common?
A. Rosacea and regular acne, called acne vulgaris, usually appear separately, but some patients are affected by both. While both conditions in adults are often informally referred to as “adult acne,” they are two separate diseases, each requiring different therapy. Acne vulgaris is associated with plugging of the ducts of the oil glands, resulting in blackheads and pimples on the face and sometimes also the back, shoulders or chest. Rosacea seems to be linked to the vascular network of the central facial skin and causes redness, bumps, pimples and other symptoms that rarely go beyond the face. Special care is necessary in treating patients with both conditions because some standard medications for acne vulgaris can make rosacea worse.
Rosacea and regular acne, called acne vulgaris, usually appear separately, but some patients are affected by both. While both conditions in adults are often informally referred to as “adult acne,” they are two separate diseases, each requiring different therapy. Acne vulgaris is associated with plugging of the ducts of the oil glands, resulting in blackheads and pimples on the face and sometimes also the back, shoulders or chest. Rosacea seems to be linked to the vascular network of the central facial skin and causes redness, bumps, pimples and other symptoms that rarely go beyond the face. Special care is necessary in treating patients with both conditions because some standard medications for acne vulgaris can make rosacea worse.
