Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei: a distinctive rosacea-like syndrome and not a granulomatous form of rosacea.

BACKGROUND

Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei is an eruption of discrete red-brown, dome-shaped papules, histologically characterized by epithelioid cell granulomas. The pathogenesis of the disorder remains controversial.

OBJECTIVE

The authors discuss the place of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei among granulomatous disorders.

METHODS

This report reviews the available literature and presents 3 patients with lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei.

RESULTS

The histopathologic characteristics of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei--an epithelioid cell granuloma with central necrosis--may be found in granulomatous rosacea, whilst the clinical features and course of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei are often similar to cutaneous sarcoidosis.

CONCLUSIONS

We put forward lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei as a distinctive rosacea-like syndrome and not as a granulomatous form of rosacea.