Do You Have Rosacea? How To Diagnose This
Chronic Skin Condition
If you suffer from a red complexion, flushing
or blushing, a red nose and cheeks and dry, flaky
skin with pimples, you probably suffer from the
chronic skin condition rosacea. Formerly known
as acne rosacea, rosacea is more common in women
than men, although men often have more severe
symptoms. Most people who have rosacea are fair-skinned,
fair-haired and blue-eyed, although it is also
seen more rarely in dark-skinned people. The disease
affects at least 14 million people in the United
States of America, typically between 20 and 50
years of age.
The main symptoms of the skin condition are:-
a burning or tingling sensation- a persistant
redness after blushing or flushing- pimples, papules
or pustules on the face- tiny visible blood vessels
under the skin- thickening of skin, especially
around the nose area- gritty, uncomfortable eyes
(ocular rosacea)The true cause of rosacea is not
really known but certain factors are known to
aggravate the condition. Sufferers should avoid
exposure to extreme temperatures and weather,
such as the sun, the cold and wind. Sun avoidance
is particularly important, and sun screens, hats
and parasols are useful ways to avoid sun-related
flare-ups. Alcohol and hot drinks and food are
also known to excacerbate rosacea, as is exercising
in hot temperatures and hot showers, baths, steam
rooms and saunas. Loofahs, rough towels, exfoliators,
astringents and cosmetics with perfumes and many
additives should also be avoided.
Gentle perfume-free cover-up cosmetics can help
disguise a flare-up and reduce the psychological
and social effects of rosacea.Rosacea is a condition
that is controlled rather than cured and many
people find that keeping a diary helps them to
pin-point their own triggers. Keeping cool, drinking
water to stay hydrated and using natural gentle
skin care products go a long way to controlling
this chronic condition. You should, of course,
consult your dermatologist for advice about prescription
creams and other procedures that may be available
to relieve the symptoms of rosacea. Generally,
rosacea treatment is aimed at the control of redness,
inflammation and skin eruptions, and this treatment
is necessary to prevent permanent damage to the
skin.If he decides that you do have rosacea, a
dermatologist will often prescribe a combination
of oral antibiotics and the use of antibiotic
gel as initial treatment.
The oral antibiotics will reduce the redness
and reduce the pustules, then the topical gel
may help to keep the symptoms under control. The
dermatologist will also be able to help a patient
look at lifestyle factors to help control the
rosacea in the future.Steroids are also often
prescribed for rosacea because they appear to
relieve the symptoms quickly, but sufferers should
be aware that topical steroids are thought to
make the symptoms worse longterm. The steroids
dilate the blood vessels in the face and thin
the skin and dermis by breaking down elastin and
collagen in the skin's structure. Topical steroids
have actually been thought to cause rosacea in
the first place in some instances.Justine Kay
is the author and webmistress at Rosacea FAQ where
she writes articles and discusses this sometimes
misunderstood skin condition.
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