Granulomatous acne rosacea of the eyelids

Abstract

We describe the clinicopathologic features of the papular form of granulomatous acne rosacea of the eyelids. This unusual cutaneous disorder is typified by painless eruptions of reddish to yellowish brown, occasionally ulcerative papules symmetrically distributed around the eyelids, lower part of the forehead, nasolabial folds, and upper lip. Histopathologically, the lesions display caseating and noncaseating dermal granulomas that mimic those seen in tuberculosis, tuberculoid leprosy, sarcoidosis, and other diseases. The disorder responds well to systemic tetracycline therapy but may involute spontaneously during a period of months to years. The distinction of this disorder from other dermal granulomatous diseases, such as tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis, and foreign bodies, is important because of the different therapeutic implications.