Differential diagnosis of rosacea

Abstract

Rosacea is best regarded as an inflammatory facial skin disorder. As already mentioned in previous chapters, it is heralded usually by frequent episodes of flushing (stage I, pre-rosacea, subtype 0) followed in 81 % of patients by persistent erythema (erythrosis) and telangiectasia (stage II, erythematotelangiectatic, subtype 1) in the center of the face, which may proceed in a minority of patients (19 %) to formation of papules and pustules (stage III, papulopustular, subtype 2) and even nodules (stage IV, phymatous, subtype 3) [1, 2]. This variable clinical presentation makes differential diagnosis rather wide according to presenting symptoms and signs (Table 90.1). Sometimes, biopsy is needed to establish the diagnosis.