Authors: Carmen Cox (NEW YORK) -- Rosacea can be annoying,
embarrassing and even painful -- and now new research shows it
could be the result of a type of bacteria that rides into your
face in the belly of a mite. A skin problem that causes
reddening and inflammation on the cheeks, nose and chin, rosacea
affects approximately three percent of Americans. Fair-skinned
females between the ages of 30 and 50 are most at risk. Those
with impaired immune systems are also disproportionately
affected. Doctors have known for years that rosacea was caused
by tiny mites called Demodex folliculorum that usually live in
people’s facial hair follicles. However, they did not understand
why these mites would cause the symptoms of rosacea, nor did
they know why treating with antibiotics improves the appearance.
Despite this, doctors have tended to use both oral and topical
antibiotics to treat rosacea -- despite a causative bacteria
never having been identified. That is until recently; when
researchers at the National Universi