Patient-focused Solutions in Rosacea Management: Treatment Challenges in Special Patient Groups

Rosacea treatment aims to eliminate and maintain clearance of signs and symptoms of the disease in order to eliminate negative effects the condition has on an individual’s QOL. Communication with patients is necessary to reveal an individual’s personal concerns, goals, and desires, which often differ from that predicted by clinicians.¹⁴ For example, erythema has been described as the most troublesome symptom, however, these findings come from predominantly fair-skinned populations and it is plausible that erythema is not as bothersome in non-white populations. Alternatively, erythema may not be appreciated by clinicians, but nonetheless can be bothersome to patients, highlighting the need for individually tailored patient care reflecting the patient’s wishes.¹⁴ Optimal results and improved patient outcomes are achieved by understanding the patient’s subjective disease severity and goals of treatment prior to initiating therapy.¹¹ Choice of therapy should incorporate patient preferences and values that can include cost of procedural therapies that are typically not covered by health insurance or preference for topical vs oral or frequency of administration.¹¹

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition due to immune and neurovascular dysfunction that has significant effects on QOL. Though more prevalent in patients with fair skin, rosacea occurs in people of all races and ethnicities and until recently has been largely under recognized in nonwhite populations. In order to optimize treatment of rosacea, recognizing more subtle or less typical features in special patient groups is essential. A patient centered approach targeting disease features most bothersome to patients contributes to improved outcomes including QOL. Future studies should continue to evaluate efficacy in diverse populations to accurately reflect the patients in need of treatment. 

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