Recovering From Rosacea

It happens every time you have spicy foods or alcohol. Those tell tale signs of redness that covers your cheeks and your nose. Could you have rosacea?

Rosacea is a form of adult acne that afflicts more than 14 million people in the United States. It is a disorder of skin gland sebaceous units and can also cause abnormal blood vessel growth in the skin. It manifests as a red flushing of the cheeks, nose, and chin.

Rosacea usually happens in stages. First, you have the reddening of the cheeks, forehead, nose or chin. The next stage is the breakout of pimplelike bumps on the reddened skin. Then tiny webs of blood vessels appear. In the final stage—and it almost never need reach that stage—the affected area becomes a bulbous enlargement studded with bumps. The comedian W.C. Fields had a nose in the final stage of rosacea.

Although certain groups—such as European or Celtic ancestry—are more predisposed to the condition, it can affect all races. Rosacea is more common in women than men. It starts between age 30 and 60.  Though rosacea is harmless, there are some aspects of the condition that benefit from closer inspection. Ocular rosacea, which affects the eyes, can cause serious vision problems, even blindness.

For many patients, rosacea may feel like a sunburn, one that can come on suddenly. Another clue is redness that occurs when you’re upset. Emotional stress may trigger flare-ups in a majority of patients.

Medical researchers are still trying to figure out what causes rosacea. One theory is that it is a vascular disorder, with blood vessels becoming more prominent and causing the redness. Another theory blames a nervous system defect.

Then there’s the role of a microscopic mite, demodex folliculorum, which lives normally on the skin and consumes cast off cells. One study found that rosacea patients had five times as many of these mites as normal, but it is unclear whether they might be a cause or effect. Others feel the stomach bacterium Helicobacter is somehow involved.

Some triggers for the condition include sun exposure, hot weather, alcohol, spicy foods, exercise, wind, hot baths, cold weather, hot drinks and skin care products.

Antibiotics are the standard treatment for rosacea. Metronidazole as a cream, lotion or gel is almost a universal part of therapy. One of the tetracycline antibiotics is often combined with metronidazole. Doctors sometimes use acne medicines, including the very potent isotretinoin. Lasers can erase the web of blood vessels.

For laser treatment to be effective, you will need three to four treatments, spaced at three-week intervals. The procedure is painless and does not require any anesthetic.

Other strategies that may be helpful are:

·       Wear sunscreen year-round, at least 15 SPF.

·       Avoid skin products with fragrance, alcohol, witch hazel, menthol, and eucalyptus or clove oils.

·       When exercising outdoors in warm weather, avoid the hottest time of the day.

·       Use moisturizer to soothe the effects of cold weather or wind.

·       Never use abrasive cleansers on your face.

·       For women: During a serious flare-up of redness, try a green-tinted moisturizer or cream underneath your foundation to counter the red.

·       For men: Use an electric shaver rather than a blade.

Though rosacea is a harmless condition, it may affect your self-esteem. Talk to your health care provider about ways to treat this disease. The healing effects of the medicine prescribed for rosacea will help provide you with a positive outlook.