Living With Rosacea

By Rosemary Verghese, MD

Mid-Atlantic Skin Surgery Institute

. https://midatlanticskinsurgery.com/

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Living With Rosacea

What do Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, and Cynthia Nixon have in common? These famous faces have all suffered from rosacea. A chronic skin disease that affects an estimated 14 million Americans, rosacea typically involves a tendency to blush or become flushed very easily. This redness often spreads to other parts of the face and head or even the upper body.

Rosacea has four subtypes, each with their own symptoms. Most subtypes are characterized by some form of redness, but the disorder can also manifest as visible blood vessels, swelling, acne-like breakouts, thicker skin, a bumpy texture, irritated eyes, or cysts on the eyelids.

This disease is common, but there are certain people who are at a higher risk. These groups include people between the ages of 30-50, fair-skinned individuals, people who have had bad acne, and those with rosacea or severe acne in their genetic history.

Researchers do not know exactly what causes rosacea, but they suspect that a number of factors contribute to the disease. For instance, certain bacteria, intestinal bugs, skin mites, or biological proteins may play a role.

Each person suffering from rosacea will experience the symptoms at varying levels of severity, but there are several primary signs to look out for if you think you may have this condition. These include flushing, persistent redness, bumps and pimples, and visible blood vessels. After these initial signs, patients may also begin to notice eye irritation, burning or stinging, skin that looks dry, plaques (raised red patches), skin thickening, swelling, and symptoms spreading to the neck, chest, scalp, or ears.

As a result of the evident physical signs of the disorder, rosacea can affect patients' quality of life. People living with the disease have reported experiencing frustration or embarrassment that causes them to avoid public contact, concerns about permanent scarring or side-effects from rosacea medicine, reduced self-esteem, work-related problems, and anxiety or depression.

Each subtype of rosacea requires different treatments, so you should consult your dermatologist to find a plan that is right for you. Common treatments include applying topical medicines, wearing sunscreen daily, using skin-repairing emollients, undergoing laser or light treatments, or taking antibiotics. Unfortunately, there is no cure for rosacea, and it can affect people for years at a time. Some people have flare-ups for life.

In addition to seeking treatment from a doctor, it's a good idea to learn what triggers your rosacea flare-ups. Avoiding these triggers, as well as following a gentle and dermatologist-approved skincare regimen, can help individuals lead happy and healthy lives in spite of their rosacea.