Face rose

Face rose is a special form of shingles, which usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 50. It can express itself in different degrees of severity and often represents a high psychological burden for those affected.

What is a face rose?

A face rose is usually announced by slight skin irritations such as burning sensation and pain to the touch. The symptoms initially only appear in one half of the face and then spread to the entire face.
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A skin disease that is triggered by the varicella zoster virus is called a face rose. This belongs to the herpes family and is also responsible for diseases such as shingles, which predominantly occurs on the trunk.

The disease manifests itself as a painful rash on the face and especially on the forehead, nose, cheeks, scalp and neck. The upper chest and back can also be affected by the disease. Facial rose is usually chronic, but it can be treated well with early detection.

causes

Facial rose can have several causes. In most cases, it arises from an illness in childhood. For example, if you have chickenpox, you keep the virus in your body and expect the disease to break out.

This usually happens between the ages of 30 and 50. The herpes virus can also trigger facial roses. It becomes embedded in the spinal cord and often does not reappear until years or decades later. This makes it so difficult for those affected to find out the exact cause.

In addition, a weakened immune system can also lay the foundation for facial rose. Finally, stress promotes facial and shingles. It mainly affects women, but men can also get it.

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Symptoms, ailments & signs

A face rose is usually announced by slight skin irritations such as burning sensation and pain to the touch. The symptoms initially only appear in one half of the face and then spread to the entire face. The outbreak of a facial rose is characterized by the appearance of noticeably reddened pustules, purulent vesicles and papules.

In the course of the disease, the skin changes spread to the entire head and the upper parts of the trunk. If the inflammation becomes severe, the blisters develop into lumps and indurations. Paralysis of the facial muscles or swellings in the area of ​​the eyelids are less common, often associated with impaired vision.

A facial rose occurs predominantly in people between the ages of 30 and 50. The skin changes affect the entire face as well as the neck and neck. Especially on the bridge of the nose and cheeks, redness and nodules develop. Occasionally the ears are also affected, which can lead to hearing and balance disorders.

Accompanying the facial rose, it can lead to fever, tiredness and fatigue. The symptoms develop in different phases of two to three days before the vesicles finally open and the acute phase subsides. Frequently, scars remain after recovery.

Diagnosis & course

The diagnosis of facial rose can be made by those affected by recognizing various symptoms. This includes a noticeable reddening of the skin, which is often associated with slight skin irritation and burning pain.

Usually only one half of the face is affected at first. In addition, larger pustules, papules, and purulent vesicles appear on different parts of the face. The entire head and back can later be affected. It is therefore particularly important to see a dermatologist if symptoms occur. He can then carry out further examinations and make a distinction to similar skin diseases.

This is done on the one hand by means of a detailed conversation with the person concerned, who should point out existing diseases in childhood as well as the possibility of a herpes disease. In addition, private or professional stress factors are determined.

Facial rose can be serious if left untreated. The inflammation leads to permanent hardening and lump formation within a few weeks. Paralysis of the facial muscles occurs and eyesight is impaired by swelling of the eyelids. Facial rose is one of the most serious diseases and must therefore be treated at an early stage.

Complications

The face rose leads to relatively unpleasant and unsightly formations on the skin, which occur mainly on the face. In most cases, the affected person feels unattractive due to the facial rose and suffers from reduced self-confidence and inferiority complexes. The quality of life is in most cases restricted by the symptom.

Inflammations and infections can also develop, in which the skin swells considerably. It is also not uncommon for pustules to develop. The inflammation on the skin can furthermore lead to paralysis of the affected body regions and also impair vision if the eyelids are affected by the facial rose.

The diagnosis is usually made with the help of medication or ointments and does not lead to further complications or complaints. Most cases are characterized by a positive course of the disease. Should the pain become more severe, it can be contained with the help of painkillers. The face rose does not limit or reduce life expectancy.

When should you go to the doctor?

Skin changes on the face often have serious causes. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted as soon as redness or other discolouration occurs. If swelling is seen or if nodules, ulcers or growths develop, a doctor is needed. If skin blemishes or open wounds form, a doctor should be consulted. Pathogens can enter the organism through the skin and lead to further illnesses and blood poisoning.

In the event of pain, itching or a feeling of tension on the skin, a doctor should clarify the symptoms. If the skin changes spread or if they increase in intensity, a doctor must be consulted. A doctor should be consulted if the person concerned suffers from a fever, internal restlessness, increased irritability or if he or she feels ill.

If emotional or mental problems arise, a doctor should also be consulted. If you are in a depressed or melancholy mood, you should consult a doctor as soon as it persists for several weeks. If there is an aggressive demeanor or social withdrawal, it is advisable to contact a doctor. If food is refused because of the symptoms, there is cause for concern. If you lose weight or if you have problems concentrating or paying attention, you need to see a doctor.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

Various therapies can be used to treat facial rose. When choosing the form of treatment, the stage of the disease and the previous course of treatment are taken into account. Most treatment concepts focus on relieving symptoms, as it is still not possible to completely cure facial and shingles. It is therefore extremely important to act early on. Once the disease is chronic, which is the case after three to six months, therapies are not very promising.

To treat external complaints such as swelling, redness and pustules, ointments are prescribed that inhibit irritation. In addition, certain preparations are used that limit the growth of the virus. Important active ingredients include deoxyuridine, idoxuridine and acyclovir. Injections with certain steroids have also been shown to be effective in the past.

Part of the therapy is also the targeted treatment of the pain. Various anticonvulsants such as gabapentin or carbamazepine, which have an anti-seizure effect, are prescribed for this purpose. If these drugs no longer work, morphine-like pain relievers are used.

In addition, alternative treatments such as acupuncture can be used to treat facial rose. However, these forms of therapy only rarely lead to a complete and permanent healing of the disease. Only if the outbreak of the varicella-zoster virus is avoided from the outset can facial rose or shingles be effectively avoided.

Outlook & forecast

If the shingles occurs on the face, a particularly sensitive area is affected. Therefore, subsequent problems cannot be ruled out. Complications can arise, especially if those affected have a weakened immune system. If the eye is affected, the dermis can become inflamed.

The cornea can also become inflamed. If the facial rose remains untreated, the intraocular pressure can increase. The result is glaucoma (green star). In the worst case, untreated facial roses can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness.

Untreated shingles often leave scars. The sensitive skin in the face and neck area is particularly susceptible to this. The scars are formed without any external influence. So the person affected doesn't even have to scratch to get scars.

If the facial rose is treated in time, scars are extremely rare. Shingles on the face increase the risk of postherpetic neuralgia. The affected person feels persistent pain. These can appear years after a facial rose has been overcome.

The face rose is not fatal. In people with an acquired immune deficiency, the course of the disease is much more aggressive. AIDS sufferers are among the risk groups. A fatal outcome cannot be ruled out here either.

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prevention

Facial rose can only be prevented to a very limited extent. However, the risk can be minimized through a healthy lifestyle. So if you do a lot of sport, eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep, you can at least minimize the risk of developing facial roses.

In general, everything should be done to strengthen the immune system to prevent the outbreak of the varicella zoster virus. Avoiding stress in private and at work is also an important factor.

If the facial rose has already broken out, severe pain and other complaints can at least be prevented by taking timely action. If the disease is recognized in the early stages and treated comprehensively, side effects can be suppressed as far as possible.

Aftercare

In the case of a facial rose, no special follow-up options are usually necessary or possible. The person affected is primarily dependent on the medical treatment of this disease, as this does not lead to self-healing. Furthermore, the triggering substance should be avoided so that the facial rose does not reappear.

In most cases, the disease can be treated relatively well. As a rule, those affected depend on taking medication and using ointments and creams to relieve the symptoms. It is always important to ensure that the drugs are taken correctly and, above all, regularly.

Possible interactions should also be taken into account, and a doctor should be consulted in cases of doubt. Even after the symptoms have subsided, the drugs and creams must continue to be used so that the symptoms do not recur. As a rule, there are no particular complications.

In general, the virus responsible for facial rose should be avoided. The life expectancy of the person affected is not reduced by this disease. In many cases, contact with other sufferers of the facial rose makes sense.

You can do that yourself

A facial rose, regardless of its location, is almost always accompanied by an unpleasant itch. This has to be resisted in any case. Giving in to it would only worsen the symptoms. The affected areas of the skin could also become inflamed.

Instead, in addition to medical treatment and medication, skin-soothing measures are available. The boiled chamomile blossom brew has a calming effect and alleviates itching. Here, gauze is soaked in the brew and placed on the affected area. However, ointments and fats of any kind should be avoided. These clog the pores and may worsen the inflammation.

In addition to caffeine and nicotine, strongly spicy and especially spicy foods should be avoided if possible. Steamed vegetables and light foods are good alternatives. For example, green tea is an excellent alternative to coffee: Green tea has a stimulating and at the same time strengthening effect on the immune system. It's anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial.

Those affected should definitely avoid contact with pregnant women. Herpes viruses are transmissible and can cause irreparable damage to the unborn child. An outbreak of chickenpox in an unvaccinated mother in the last few weeks of pregnancy puts the child's life in danger.