What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a common, chronic, inflammatory skin condition that causes redness, flushing, blushing, and sometimes raised bumps mostly on the central face- places like the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. Sometimes rosacea can also involve the eyes. There is no known cure for rosacea.
What causes rosacea?
The short answer is, we don’t know. It’s suspected that a combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to people developing this chronic inflammatory condition.
Who gets it?
Anybody can develop rosacea. It’s more common in women, people who easily sunburn, people ages 30-60, people with a family history of rosacea, and people who smoke.
Does rosacea get better on its own?
Most of the time, the answer is no. However, rosacea is unpredictable. Rosacea can come and go periodically, stay the same long-term, and for some it can gradually worsen over time.
What are the symptoms of rosacea?
There are different types of rosacea symptoms. People can have one or a combination of the following:
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Facial blushing or flushing: Either persistent or situational redness on the nose and cheek
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Telangiectasias: Tiny visible swollen or broken blood vessels on the nose and cheeks
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Papules and pustules: Acne-like or pus-filled red raised bumps distributed on the central face
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Sensitive skin: Skin often feels hot, tender, or has a burning/stinging sensation
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Enlarged nose: Bumpy, thickened skin on the nose giving it a more red, swollen and rounded appearance. This is a more common finding in men with rosacea.
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Eye problems: A gritty or burning feeling in the eyes and eyelids with or without associated redness
How can I manage rosacea?
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Lifestyle adjustments: Identify and avoid your triggers to lessen frequency and severity of flares. Consider documenting with a journal to keep track of when flare ups happen to help identify things that may set off or worsen your rosacea symptoms.
Triggers for rosacea depend on the individual. Here’s a list of a few of the most common triggers:
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hot temperature food or beverages
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spicy foods
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Alcohol
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sun exposure
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wind exposure
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hot baths or saunas
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Exercise
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emotional stress
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topical steroid use on the face
Once you identify your triggers, you can avoid them when possible.
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Gentle skin care
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Use a mild fragrance-free cleanser on the face 1-2 times a day.
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Apply a fragrance-free non-comedogenic moisturizer twice daily.
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Consider using a serum or moisturizer with an antioxidant ingredient like niacinamide, which can help soothe the skin and reduce redness.
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Avoid harsh products that can cause skin irritation (alcohol, astringents, toners, camphor, menthol, or exfoliants).
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Cool compresses can help with flushing or blushing flares.
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Eye care
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If you have ocular rosacea, warm water compresses 2-4 times daily followed by gently cleansing the eyelid with a baby shampoo and cotton swab can be very helpful.
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Artificial tears can be used for a gritty sensation
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If eye symptoms persist despite these measures, you should see an ophthalmologist.
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Sun protection
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Use a broad spectrum facial sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher every day on the face.
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Wear sun protective clothing, like broad brimmed hats and sunglasses.
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Cosmetic camouflage
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Cosmetic products with a green or yellow tint can counterbalance underlying redness associated with rosacea.
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Tinted sunscreens can provide light coverage for skin flushing while at the same time preventing worsening redness associated with sun damage.
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See your dermatology providder
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There are many prescription-strength topical and pill medications available to help with rosacea. Your dermatology provider can help tailor the right skin care regimen for your rosacea-prone skin.
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Cosmetic broad band light and ndYAG laser treatments can help reduce redness and lessen visible broken blood vessels.
If you suspect you have rosacea, we would be so happy to assist with your care. Book an appointment with one of our dermatology providers to come up with a personal plan to manage your rosacea or any other skin care concerns you may have!
