What is rosacea?

Rosacea (say "roh-ZAY-shuh") is a skin condition that can cause redness, pimples, and red lines on the nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. It is often mistaken for acne because it can cause outbreaks with bumps like pimples. Rosacea can also cause burning and soreness in your eyes.

Rosacea is usually controlled by using medicine and avoiding alcohol, the sun, and other things that can make rosacea worse.

Your doctor may have prescribed medicines or other treatment. If antibiotics do not control the rosacea, your doctor may try other medicines.

People with rosacea may have:

• A flushed, red face with sensitive, dry skin that may burn or sting.
• Small bumps and pimples or acne-like breakouts.
• Skin that gets coarser and thicker, with a bumpy texture.
• Dry, red, irritated eyes.

In rare cases, rosacea that is not treated may cause permanent effects, such as thickening of the skin on your face or loss of vision. It may cause knobby bumps on the nose, called rhinophyma (say "ry-no-FY-muh"). Over time, it can give the nose a swollen, waxy look. But most cases of rosacea don't progress this far.

Doctors can prescribe medicines and other treatments for rosacea. There is no cure, but with treatment, most people can control their symptoms and keep the disease from getting worse.

• Redness and breakouts can be treated with:
  • Pills, such as low-dose antibiotics like doxycycline.
  • Skin creams that contain medicine, such as azelaic acid, brimonidine, or metronidazole.

• Redness from tiny blood vessels can be treated with lasers and another light treatment called intense pulsed light (IPL).
• Dry, sensitive skin can be protected with products for sensitive skin, such as moisturizers and sunscreen.
• Dry, red, and irritated eyes can be treated with artificial tears or prescription eyedrops that contain a medicine such as cyclosporine.
• Thickened or bumpy skin on the nose or face can be treated with cosmetic surgery.

The pattern of redness on a person's face makes it easy for a doctor to diagnose rosacea. And most of the time medical tests are not needed or used.

There are some things you can do to reduce symptoms and keep rosacea from getting worse.

Get any bothersome symptoms under control.

A dermatologist can prescribe treatments to reduce redness and any breakouts.

Find your triggers.

One of the most important things is to learn what triggers your flare-ups, and then avoid them. It can help to keep a diary of what you were eating, drinking, and doing on days that the rosacea appeared. Take the diary to your next doctor visit, and discuss what you can do to help control the disease.

Protect your face.

Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When you are outdoors, protect your face by wearing a wide-brimmed hat or visor. Use a sunscreen that is rated SPF 30 or higher every day. If your skin is dry, find a moisturizer with sunscreen.

Be gentle with your skin.

Use skin care products for sensitive skin, and avoid any products that scratch or irritate your skin. Try not to rub or scrub your skin.

Take care of your eyes.

Gently wash your eyelids with a product made for the eyes. Apply a warm, wet cloth several times a day. Use artificial tears if your eyes feel dry. Or talk to your doctor about medicine you can put into your eyes.

Experts are not sure what causes rosacea. They know that something irritates the skin, but rosacea doesn't seem to be an infection caused by bacteria. It tends to affect people who have fair skin or blush easily, and it seems to run in families.

Rosacea is not caused by heavy alcohol use, as people thought in the past. But in people who have rosacea, drinking alcohol may cause symptoms to get worse (flare).

Rosacea (say "roh-ZAY-shuh") is a very common skin disease that affects people over the age of 30. It causes redness on your nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. Some people get little bumps and pimples on the red parts of their faces. Rosacea can also cause burning and soreness in your eyes.

Some people say that having rosacea keeps them from feeling confident at work or in social situations. If your rosacea bothers you or has gotten worse, talk to your doctor. Getting treatment can help your skin look and feel better. And it may keep your rosacea from getting worse.

Some things may cause your rosacea to flare up. These are called triggers. Here are some examples of rosacea triggers. There are some things you can try that may reduce flare-ups.

Alcohol, spicy foods, and hot drinks.

Limit how much of these you drink and eat.

Dry skin.

Use a moisturizer to protect your face from dryness. Use skin care products for sensitive skin. And avoid any products that are abrasive or that irritate your skin.

Exercise.

Stay as cool as possible when you exercise. Try to exercise for shorter, more frequent intervals, and do low-intensity workouts. In the summer, exercise during the cool morning hours.

Hot baths.

Avoid excessive hot water, hot tubs, and saunas.

Hot weather.

Stay cool on hot, humid days.

Stress.

Minimize stress in your life. Take care of yourself, eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.

Sun.

Avoid the midday sun, and wear a wide-brimmed hat. Use sunscreen on your face every day.

Weather conditions.

Avoid or limit your exposure to wind and hot or cold temperatures.

Wind exposure.

Protect your face from the wind in any temperature. Wear a scarf over your cheeks and nose to help protect your skin from the cold and wind.

These triggers cause the blood vessels in the face to relax and open wider (dilate), producing a sudden increase in blood flow and causing the face to flush. Triggers for flushing affect people differently-a trigger that affects one person may not affect another in the same way.