Rosacea, steroid-induced rosacea and perioral dermatitis look very similar: all three conditions cause redness and bumps and pimples on the face. However, their underlying causes are different, as is their recommended treatment. A recent study explored the differences in the skin microbiome — the community of microorganisms present on the skin of every human — in each disease and discovered insights that may help to improve treatment.¹

Every person is host to a natural mix of bacteria, fungi and viruses — they are normal inhabitants of the skin, known as the skin microbiome. But the makeup of that community may be very different in those with rosacea, according to the results of a recent NRS-funded study comparing the bacteria found on the faces of rosacea patients and people without the condition.

A recent NRS-supported study in twins has found a significant correlation between severity of rosacea and facial bacterial dysbiosis, potentially providing a basis for future research into what causes rosacea and how to treat it.

The ways in which disruptions and imbalances in the ecosystem of bacteria, Demodex mites and other microorganisms on the skin, known collectively as the skin microbiota, may be involved in the development of rosacea were discussed at the summer meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in New York.

Physicians recently discussed new advances in the understanding of how rosacea develops in the body, opening the way for potential improvements in its effective care, during the summer meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in New York.

Dr. David E. Cohen, professor of dermatology at New York University, outlined current knowledge of the disease process of rosacea, providing a map of the development of rosacea at the cellular level.