Rhinophyma has been observed from ancient times in Greece but first named by Hebrea in 1845.
- Rhis (Greek for nose)
- phyyma (Greek for growth)
It is a more severe form of acne rosacea. The cause is not really known. Rhinophyma has been associated with any causes such as the over-consumption of alcohol. No consistent causative factor has been identified to date. Men are 12 times more likely to have this problem than women.
Symptoms include overgrowth of the sebaceous (oil making) skin glands, vessel and tissue growth in the deeper layers of the skin, and a thickening of the outer layer of the skin. This can make for a very obvious and prominent nose.
Nonsurgical treatment is similar to acne care:
- meticulous cleaning
- skin hygiene
- avoidance of foods that seem to worsen the condition
- antibiotics may be useful when small infections are present
Check with your dermatologist for a treatment program best designed for your skin.
Rhinophyma Nasal Reconstruction |
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| Before | After | Before Surgery | After Surgery |
This
patient has a form of acne rosacea called rhinophyma. This deforming
condition should never get this large with preventive and intermittent
care. Smaller earlier treatments could have kept the condition less
deforming. These results come from one operation.
Treatment consisted of dermaplaning and dermabrasion. Laser treatments could also have been used but can be harder to control the depth of injury. The pores of the skin go very deep in this condition. Regrowth of skin comes from these deeper skin elements.
Surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient.
The raw skin after surgery can drain and needs careful wound care not
to
damage the remaining skin elements. The speed of healing depends
on many factors such as the depth of surgery and your own healing tendencies.
Rhinophyma is more common than you might think. Here is one of many paintings demonstrating someone with this problem. There are many interesting web sites. Visit Dr. Bermant's Rhinophyma Plastic Surgery Web for more information.
