Heavy Eyeglasses May Cause or Exacerbate Rhinophyma

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Here's another article from the November 2001 issue of Skin & Allergy

News.

Take care,

Matija

Very simple cure

Heavy Eyeglasses Can Cause `Pseudorhinophyma'

Betsy Bates

Los Angeles Bureau

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Patients who appear to have classic rhinophyma may

in fact have what Dr. ph B. Bikowski calls " pseudorhinophyma, " a

phenomenon in which eyeglasses frames interfere with superficial

venous and lymphatic return from the nose.

The unusual link first occurred to Dr. Bikowski, a dermatologist in

Sewickley, Pa., when he saw an elderly, white male patient with a

red, swollen, bulbous nose. The presentation was characteristic of

rhinophyma.

However, Dr. Bikowski noted an indentation on the skin when he

removed the patient's eyeglasses, leading him to suspect that the

frames might be contributing to the condition. He has since diagnosed

it in several other patients in the same age group. Some only had

distal edema; others had telangiectasia without swelling.

" Pseudorhinophyma appears to develop when the constricting band of an

eyeglasses frame acts as a mechanical barrier to superficial venous

and lymphatic return from the nose. Have [these patients] switch to

glasses that have silicone nose pieces. A month later, the redness

and swelling is gone, " Dr. Bikowski said at the American Academy of

Dermatology's Academy 2001 meeting.

Some patients with pseudorhinophyma may also have underlying rosacea

or even classic rhinophyma requiring treatment.