ABSTRACT
Rosacea is a common and cosmetically disabling disease which remains almost as mysterious now as when the disorder was first described. Despite its frequency and disfiguring nature it has provoked a relatively small amount of serious study. This is sad, as without a vigorous research effort new drugs will not emerge to treat the disease and our patients will remain dissatisfied with the treatments available. It is also quite inexplicable to me as it is such a fascinating disorder. It is fascinating because it consists of such diverse clinical features and tissue processes that are really quite difficult to link together. We can’t even say with confidence that rosacea is just one disease and not several different disorders that have certain physical signs in common.
