Guest guest Posted April 22, 2000 Report Share Posted April 22, 2000 Hello group, I was recently diagnosed with rosacea after having seen the dermatologist for two lesions which bled quite easily with minimal trauma. I was under the assumption that they would probably represent basal cell carcinomas, however the biopsy showed rosacea and its characteristic vacular pathology. During the time of the development of these lesions, I had also experienced clusters of burning, almost anesthitized skin which I thought were acneic form areas as well as profuse sweating and burning of the face. Of particular note, these symptoms developed during the most difficult months of my medical internship in which I was working 100-140 hours/ week every week for 4 months in the intensive care unit and medical wards. Before this time, my only skin afflictions were classic acne- form comedones and summertime sun-induced erythema. I can't help but think that severe stressors may be a triggering factor in the cascade of events that culminate in full-blown rosacea. Also of note, I suffer from comorbid migaine with classic aura (1 episode/ month at most). The aura in migraine is a phenomena of vasoconstriction and relative ischemia causing visual changes (sparkling lights, ziz-zag lines, blind spots). Both rosacea and migraine seem to have in common a hypersensitivity of the microvasculature in response to sympathetic stimulation. Stressful situations surely trigger the sympathetic nervous system as evidenced by the classic fight or flight responses of pupil dilatation, sweatiness, rapid heart rate, increased respiratory rate, and flushing. Do sufferers of rosacea and/or migraine headache have an altered response to stress than others at the microanatomic level?? Perhaps Dr.Nase could comment on this relation given his research expertise. Have others noticed the precipitation of rosacea by intensely stressful events? Can rosacea subside if the stressful stimuli subside? M. Burock, MD Brown University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Providence, Rhode Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2000 Report Share Posted April 22, 2000 Hello, This is the first I've heard of being able to diagnose rosacea through a biopsy. Is this a new thing? I don't think my rosacea began because of extreme stress. I remember getting a few painful pustules and itchy facial skin at about ten years old. I also had severe migraines when I was a child. I saw the auras you were talking about during them. Haven't gotten these in years, thank goodness. I had prerosacea as a teenager. I may have stopped the progression of the disease then if I was diagnosed correctly. My skin was stressed by the use of harsh acne topical meds in my teens and ahas I used in my twenties. Your rosacea may subside if you eliminate stress. That's extremely difficult to do in life, especially nowadays. Those of us with food triggers have to avoid those foods as well. Since you're an MD, do you think that rosacea could possibly be an immune-related disorder with the facial redness, swelling and bumps being among the symtoms? Thanks, Matija however the biopsy showed rosacea > and its characteristic vacular pathology. Have others noticed the > precipitation of rosacea by intensely stressful events? Can rosacea > subside if the stressful stimuli subside? > > > M. Burock, MD > Brown University School of Medicine > Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior > Providence, Rhode Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2000 Report Share Posted April 22, 2000 << Do sufferers of rosacea and/or migraine headache have an altered response to stress than others at the microanatomic level??>> Stress is a primary trigger for rosacea, and adrenaline does appear to provoke vasodilation. From what I have seen, rosacea sufferers are more prone to vasodilation than the average person. I strongly disagree with the tradition of institutions working interns until they are ready to drop. This is bad for both the interns and the patients. In my humble opinion. Jim Clary, Dallas TX Stress-induced cea... Jim Clary, Dallas TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2000 Report Share Posted April 22, 2000 Hi Matija, I have also had a skin biopsy done, which showed inflammation and rosacea. I don't think its new, but it is used when there are different issues presented and they are unclear of the diagnosis. In my case, the doctors thought I had some awful disease because I looked so red and inflammed, with no acne, and because it came on quickly. But when the biopsy was complete, it only showed rosacea and inflammation. Meg > Hello, > > This is the first I've heard of being able to diagnose rosacea > through a biopsy. Is this a new thing? > > I don't think my rosacea began because of extreme stress. I remember > getting a few painful pustules and itchy facial skin at about ten > years old. I also had severe migraines when I was a child. I saw the > auras you were talking about during them. Haven't gotten these in > years, thank goodness. I had prerosacea as a teenager. I may have > stopped the progression of the disease then if I was diagnosed > correctly. My skin was stressed by the use of harsh acne topical meds > in my teens and ahas I used in my twenties. > > Your rosacea may subside if you eliminate stress. That's extremely > difficult to do in life, especially nowadays. Those of us with food > triggers have to avoid those foods as well. > > Since you're an MD, do you think that rosacea could possibly be an > immune-related disorder with the facial redness, swelling and bumps > being among the symtoms? > Thanks, > Matija > > however the biopsy showed rosacea > > and its characteristic vacular pathology. Have others noticed the > > precipitation of rosacea by intensely stressful events? Can > rosacea > > subside if the stressful stimuli subside? > > > > > > M. Burock, MD > > Brown University School of Medicine > > Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior > > Providence, Rhode Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2000 Report Share Posted April 23, 2000 Hi, My skin biopsy last year showed seb derm and inflammation, but rosacea was not mentioned in the biopsy results. I had been diagnosed with rosacea previously. Go figure. The seb derm is gone now (knock on wood..) Jim Clary, Dallas TX Re: Stress-induced cea... > Hi Matija, > > I have also had a skin biopsy done, which showed inflammation > and rosacea. I don't think its new, but it is used when there > are different issues presented and they are unclear of the diagnosis. > In my case, the doctors thought I had some awful disease because I > looked so red and inflammed, with no acne, and because it came on > quickly. But when the biopsy was complete, it only showed rosacea > and inflammation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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