The pathophysiology of rosacea has undergone renewed interest over the past decade, with a large body of evidence supporting the role of an abnormal innate immune response in rosacea. Many mechanisms interact with the cutaneous innate immune system that may be operative. A variety of potential triggers stimulate this immune detection system which is upregulated and hyper-responsive in facial skin of patients with rosacea as compared to normal skin. Based on the most current data, two conclusions have been reached. First, the major presentations of rosacea appear to be inflammatory dermatoses. Second, the presence of a microbial organism is not a primary or mandatory component of the pathogenesis of rosacea. Available therapies for rosacea exhibit reported modes of action that appear to correlate with the inhibition of inflammatory processes involved in the pathophysiology of at least some presentations of rosacea.