New Help for Rosacea Sufferers

Reducing ulcer-causing bacteria -- Helicobacter pylori -- in the stomach alleviates rosacea symptoms reports a team of researchers at the University of Erciyes School of Medicine in Turkey. The team, led by Dr. Serap Utas, suspects that the H. pylori infection may be one of the causes of this skin condition affecting many women over the age of 30.

In the study, published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, researchers compared rosacea suffers who completed a four to six week antibiotic treatment with those who did not take the treatment and found a "significant decrease" in facial symptoms. Until now, the causes of rosacea have been unknown.

Rosacea is characterized by reddened cheeks and nose and can include bumps, pimples and dilated blood vessels. The condition is aggravated after eating hot and spicy foods or drinking alcohol or beverages with caffeine. Rosacea may persist for years and can lead to skin and eye infections.