What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a skin condition that occurs within the face, resulting in redness and visible blood vessels. It can also cause small, red, pus-filled bumps to appear on the skin’s surface. Rosacea may commonly be mistaken for an allergic reaction, acne or other skin problems.
Who gets rosacea?
While rosacea can affect all skin types, individuals with fair skin who flush easily are believed to have a greater risk of having it. While this condition is more commonly diagnosed in women, it tends to be more severe in men. There is also evidence proving that rosacea may run in families and may be more prominent in people of northern or Eastern European descent.
Where does rosacea appear on the body?
Rosacea is prominent on the central part of the face. It causes persistent redness, along with small blood vessels on the nose and cheeks that often swell and become more visible. Those affected may also develop pimples on the face that are similar in appearance to acne, and they may contain pus. The skin will feel hot and tender to the touch. Very rarely, rosacea may cause the skin on the nose to thicken, causing the nose to appear bulbous. However, this occurs more often in men than in women.
When does rosacea appear?
Rosacea is most likely to occur in individuals who have persistent sun exposure, emotional stress or with hot or cold weather, wind, alcohol,spicy foods, heavy exercise, hot baths, heated beverages and certain skin products. While these are some of the many factors that lead to rosacea, there are others that vary with each individual.
Are there treatments for rosacea?
Because the symptoms of rosacea vary from one individual to another, the treatments must be tailored to each individual. Those who suffer from bumps and pimples are often prescribed oral and topical rosacea therapy, while individuals affected by visible blood vessels may receive laser treatment to reduce the appearance of redness. Also, many individuals with rosacea identified that witch hazel, fragrance, menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus, exfoliating agents, and salicylic acid often irritated their skin and recommended against using these particular products.
Sources:
https://www.rosacea.org/patients/allaboutrosacea.php
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rosacea/symptoms-causes/syc-20353815
