Rosacea: Clinical Study of 67 Cases

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a chronic skin disease which primarily affects the face. There have been many basic and clinical studies on rosacea in the West, but little in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was to investigate clinical features of rosacea in Korea and to compare them with those in the West. METHODS: During a 20-month period, 67 patients diagnosed as having rosacea were examined for their clinical presentations by means of personal interview. RESULTS: Erythema and telangiectasia were found in almost all of the 67 patients. Comparing with the results in the West, flushing and telangiectasia were more common whereas papules, pustules, and rhinophyma were less common with no case of ocular complaints or migraine. CONCLUSION: Because early detection and treatment is necessary to prevent the progression of rosacea, it is important to realize that rosacea is not uncommon in Korea and to recognize its somewhat different clinical manifestations from those in the West.