Although subtype 3 (phymatous) rosacea often involves excess tissue, it can be effectively treated with a range of options appropriate for the severity of the case, according to the standard management options for rosacea recently published by the National Rosacea Society.¹

Q. Is there a link between chronic nasal blockage and rosacea?

A. Chronic nasal obstruction has many potential causes, and there is no evidence linking this condition to rosacea. Even patients with rhinophyma usually can breathe well through their noses. A typical stuffy nose is commonly associated with inflammation of the mucous membranes from various causes, often allergies or viruses.

As far back as she can remember, Carole Storme's red nose was a fact of life, especially during the holidays and at family gatherings. Photos clearly documented the condition, but her doctor attributed it to her Irish heritage.

"Every time I would ask why my nose turns red, he would just laugh and say, 'It's because you're Irish,' " she explained.

The unsightly redness, papules and pustules of rosacea can be controlled with medical therapy combined with lifestyle modifications. But untreated symptoms may progress to rhinophyma, a conspicuous condition that sometimes appears at the advanced stage of this common and embarrassing disorder. Most often occurring in men, rhinophyma is the red swollen nose often mistakenly attributed to heavy drinking, such as in the case of the late comedian W. C. Fields.