Rinofima is the reason men have guava noses (really bring hockey?)

The shape of people's noses can be different. There are snub, sharp, small, and big. The shape and size of a person's nose generally will not change throughout his life because it is influenced by genetics. When your nose continues to enlarge and change shape, this may be a sign of rhinophyma. In Indonesia, rhinofima is the medical term for guava nose which is said to bring hockey. Hmm… Really?

Rinofima is a rare skin problem

Rinofima is a rare skin condition that causes the nose to become enlarged and rounded in the center to form a bulb.

Guava nose due to rhinophima can be a forerunner to cancer. One study reported that 3-10% of cases of rhinophyma developed carcinoma cancer. So, this condition still needs early diagnosis and a doctor's examination.

What causes someone to have a pink nose?

The cause of this condition is not known for sure. However, world health experts agree that nose enlargement due to rhinophima can be triggered by enlargement of the blood vessels in the nose, thus making the nose skin thick.

Rinofima has been linked to severe rosacea and excessive alcohol consumption. Both of these things can indeed cause blood vessels to widen. However, this condition can also occur in people who do not drink alcohol at all and who do not have rosacea for the rest of their life.

Rinofima is more common in middle-aged men aged 50-70 years. This is presumably because it has something to do with male androgen hormones. White people are also among those who are prone to experiencing rhinophima.

What are the symptoms?

Left: rhinophyma nose, Right: normal nose (Source: Fox Facial Surgery)

The symptoms of rhinophima cause:

• The nose is enlarged and rounded like a bulb or a guava that hangs on the bridge of the nose.
• The skin of the nose is thickened, oily, and bumpy with enlarged pores.
• The skin of the nose is flushed. Over time the tip of the nose will be dark red to dark purple.

A person who has this condition will feel their nasal bones as if they are continuing to grow. You will also experience swelling of the small blood vessels in your nose and cheeks. Over time there will be scar tissue on the nose.

Rinofima can sometimes be preceded by a pimple on the nose. After that, you will continue to experience recurring pimples on your nose as the symptoms develop.

How to deal with rhinofima?

To treat a guava nose, the doctor will first check your physical condition based on the symptoms that appear. He can also do a biopsy on the nose to make sure your rhinophyma is potentially cancerous or not. Furthermore, rhinophima treatment will be adjusted according to the severity of the symptoms and their causes.

Use medicine

Initially, your doctor may prescribe an oral medication isotretinoin to reduce redness and shrink sweat glands. This drug is the first choice if symptoms are not severe.

In some cases, your doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic ointment or cream such as tetracycline, metronidazole, erythromycin, or azaleac acid to reduce redness or inflammation in the skin of the nose. The doctor will also recommend a moisturizer or medication that can help prevent the skin from drying out.

Surgery

Surgery is often the last and best option to treat long-term rhinophima. Surgery is needed when the nasal skin tissue continues to grow and is suspected of being potentially cancerous.

There are several surgical treatment options for rhinophima, including:

• Dermabrasion to remove the top layer of skin.
• Cyrosurgery which freezes then destroys the abnormal tissue.
• Excision, removing excess growth or tissue.
• Carbon dioxide laser. According to the British Dermatology Association, the risk of bleeding is less with this method but it can cause skin discoloration and scarring.

Each surgical option has its own risks. The doctor will first discuss with you about all the possible complications that can occur before determining the right procedure. Doctors can also perform a combination of the two surgical techniques.

Treating rhinophima as early as possible can avoid permanent damage and prolonged symptoms. Even so, the risk of recurrence is still very possible.