What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea (rose-AY-sha) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes redness or ‘flushing’ of the skin. If you notice that your face blushes very easily, or if you have redness on your cheeks and nose that you often have to cover with concealer, you may be developing rosacea. When left untreated, rosacea can grow even more severe, perhaps with redness spreading to your forehead and chin and chest, or visible blood vessels on your face. You could even develop additional forms of rosacea, such as the type that forms pimples or unsightly bumps on your chin, nose and other areas, and rosacea can develop into a more severe condition affecting your eyes.

You may find the redness of rosacea to be quite upsetting, which can hurt your self confidence levels, and the possibility of your rosacea causing eye discomfort and other skin issues will likely encourage you to seek treatment by a qualified dermatologist who can help solve this dilemma, improve your skin’s appearance, and tackle this skin issue before it turns into a more troubling one for you.

Rosacea is almost three times more common in women than in men, with the peak age of onset being between 30 and 60. The overabundance of capillaries, or tiny blood vessels, beneath the skin in affected areas begin to break, leaking blood beneath the skin’s surface, causing that telltale reddening of the skin. The condition may be hereditary, which is often the case, and it may be exacerbated by sun exposure, alcohol consumption, exposure to very cold or very windy weather conditions, overly hot environments, and even spicy foods.

Your doctor will assess your skin to determine which of the different types of rosacea you have (there are four major ones, including one that creates pus-filled lesions and another that turns the end of your nose hard, red and bulbous) and ask you questions about elements of your lifestyle that you might not be aware are contributing to your rosacea condition. Then, your qualified dermatologist will suggest a course of treatment to return your skin to a more attractive, even tone and greater smoothness.

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