What is roscea?

Rosacea is an inflammatory skin problem that, according to the National Rosacea Society affects almost 14 million individuals in the United States alone.  Many of the people who suffer from this disorder may not even be aware it’s rosacea they are dealing with.  This is because many of the symptoms that come with rosacea also mimic those of acne and other common skin conditions.

Unfortunately, this misdiagnosis can lead to additional health problems because if treated improperly, it may actually become more serious.  That is why it is important for you to raise your rosacea awareness, so that you can use the knowledge in order to combat the problem.

Is rosacea like acne?

Many people consider rosacea to be a skin condition that is similar to acne but there are actually some very significant differences.  Both acne and rosacea have the potential to cause skin papules but with rosacea, these bumps will not appear as whiteheads or blackheads that are common with acne.  Rosacea can also cause such problems as broken blood vessels, rhinophyma and red blotches on the area of the face.

It may also be connected with another problem that is known as ocular rosacea.  This is a condition that affects the eyelid and at times the eye itself.  It causes an irritating burning sensation or feeling as if grit has gotten into your eye.  Left untreated, this can become a very serious problem and can even cause blindness in severe cases.

What causes it?

The causes of rosacea are really unknown for the most part.  It is thought that it may be hereditary to a certain extent but it may also be caused by the environment around us.  It does tend to happen more in individuals who are fair skinned and who blush easily.

Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule and it can also happen to people with dark skin as well.  Fortunately, rosacea is not contagious but it does create a problem in many of us that causes us to isolate ourselves out of embarrassment.

Any signs or symptoms?

Rosacea tends to be a progressive problem and left untreated, it tends to get worse over time.  It is often referred to as adult onset acne because it is a problem that will appear after the teenage years when acne is typically a problem.

It can either be chronic or it can be cyclic, appearing for a week or several months and then subsiding before returning again.  It is very difficult to self diagnose this problem because there are other conditions that are very similar.  It is better for you to have been diagnosed by a professional, either
your doctor or a dermatologist.

What may cause it to flare up?

There may also be conditions that are associated with some treatments, such as laser hair removal which mimic the look of rosacea.  Whereas rosacea is progressive, these will show up whenever the treatment is administered and fade, never to return again.  On the other hand, rosacea may cause damage to the blood vessels which can become a permanent problem and will need to be treated through the use of laser surgery if a cosmetic fix is desirable.

So what can I do to treat it?

Unfortunately, there is very little that medical science can do in order to treat rosacea effectively.  There are some medications which tend to make it subside to a certain extent but in order for you to overcome the problem, you are simply going to need to avoid things which cause it to flare up.  This can be such things as skin care products which include irritants, such as alcohol or chemicals.  It can also come about as a result of the foods that we eat or perhaps even a problem with dehydration.

Will it ever go away?

Rosacea is a progressive problem and it rarely ever goes away on its own.  Many people have to deal with this skin problem regularly in their lives. In order for you to avoid having rosacea impact your life to the greatest extent possible, you need to avoid the things that will cause it to flare up.  Although this may sound like simplistic advice, it is actually the best advice that anyone can give to you.  If something irritates the situation, avoid it if at all possible.

Acne Rosacea Overview

There are a number of different skin problems that can affect us at times and can be difficult to tell which of these problems you are dealing with.  This is the case whenever it comes to rosacea and acne, two problems that share some similar symptoms but are actually two different conditions altogether.  Let’s take a look at these two conditions as well as some acne and rosacea treatment options that may be able to help.

What are the symptoms?

The first thing you should understand is although the condition is often referred to as being acne rosacea, the fact is that rosacea is not acne at all.  As a matter of fact, it is a condition all of its own and although some of the symptoms may mimic acne, the treatments may actually vary quite widely.  As a matter of fact, it is possible to use an acne treatment which will actually irritate the rosacea to a certain extent.  That is why it is important for you to make sure what kind of skin condition you’re dealing with before you begin trying any kind of treatment.

Many people try to self diagnose themselves but this actually could lead to a wrong diagnosis.  Even a doctor will not be able to do any tests that will let you know if you have rosacea or not but they are better prepared to give you an accurate diagnosis after screening you with some questions.  Once you have been diagnosed with acne rosacea, you can begin using a natural skin care product or other type of natural acne treatment which will work for this particular problem.

Is it acne or rosacea? How do I tell?

There are several different ways for you to be able to tell the difference between rosacea and acne.  Although they will have many similar symptoms, rosacea tends to have a small acne rosacea papules or red patches on the skin without the presence of blackheads, whiteheads or pimples that are often seen in regular acne.

Most rosacea flare-ups do not start until a person is in their adulthood. There are pre-rosacea signs that appear earlier. Many times, the individuals will develop issues with blushing or flushing that lasts far longer than normal.

Acne rosacea can be crippling to one’s self-esteem, but thankfully the flare-ups rarely occur in the teen years. It is more important to look for signs of flushing in stressful situations, extreme heat, or under certain lights. There is also a tendency to blush easily. These early signs suggest that the person experiencing them may develop rosacea in their adult years. While there is no cure for rosacea, there is a chance that following a rosacea skin care treatment can help reduce the symptoms down the road.

Acne tends to affect people more in their teenage years and this is another way for you to be able to distinguish the difference between the two.

What areas on the body does it affect?

Rosacea often looks like a bad sunburn in the T zone area of the face. The main symptoms of this facial condition include red or pink patches, visible broken blood vessels, small red bumps, red cysts.  Its appearance is usually most prevalent on the cheeks and can be extremely hard to hide, even with make-up. In fact, the make-up can often help lead to additional flare-ups.

It may also affect the inside of the eyelids, a condition that is known as ocular rosacea.  This is why many individuals who are suffering from rosacea also complain of burning or gritty feeling eyes.  Some may attribute this to oily skin but it is actually a matter of an irritation on the inside of the eyelid.

Who gets it?

Rosacea is not contagious at all, and current research shows that the cause of the condition is not hereditary though research on the latter is ongoing. Almost half of all diagnosed patients claim they know at least one family member who also has the condition. There is a strong link between those diagnosed with rosacea having at least one parent who is part Irish or English. There is also evidence that the disorder is often stronger in those with British blood. Why this occurs is still unknown?

With this, rosacea tends to occur in people who are fair skinned but it may also appear on Asian skin, Latin skin and even black skin.  Of course, depending on the tone of the skin, the symptoms may appear a little bit differently.  It may also come and go or it can be chronic and it tends to be a progressive problem.  That is why it is important for you to have your acne rosacea diagnosed as early as possible so that a skin treatment can be started.

Is there a  treatment?

There are a number of different ways that your adult acne rosacea may be treated.  Most of these amount to a skin treatment that is specific for this condition but there are also times when an internal medicine is prescribed.  There are also forms of treatment that are herbal and treat the condition naturally.  A rosacea treatment gel may also help in many instances and also some forms of acne treatment that can help with this condition as well.

Furthermore, it may also be necessary for you to identify triggers that cause your rosacea to occur and to avoid them in the future.  Although there are not any treatments which will fix the problem permanently, by carefully keeping yourself from things that irritate the problem, you can keep it to a minimum.

Seven difference between acne and rosacea. Brady’s book is at Rosacea 101: Includes the Rosacea Diet

Discusses a variety of facial treatments for rosacea

For more information on Brady’s book, click on this link Rosacea 101: Includes the Rosacea Diet

Fish including tuna and salmon
Berries - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries etc
Cucumber
Carrots

Some of the above may even cause a flare up for some people, so it is up to trial and error to work out which foods work for you. Foods such as berries contain antioxidants which are essential for good skin health. Try to eat as much high antioxidant food as possible, at the very least you will ensure that your underlying skin is in good condition which may lead to a reduction in rosacea symptoms.

What Not To Eat

Knowing what to eat is important, but knowing what you should not eat is perhaps of greater significance. Eating the wrong foods can cause rosacea to flare up uncontrollably for days on end. Not everyone will have the same trigger foods but patterns have emerged amongst certain types of foods which do seem to affect a large number of rosacea sufferers.
These include:

Chocolate
Tomatoes
Hot drinks
Peppers
Garlic
Wine or alcohol
Cheese
Citrus fruits
Avocadoes
Hot soup
Spinach
Figs
Red meat
Foods high in sugar

Foods or drinks that get the heart racing faster will never be ideal for rosacea sufferers. Alcohol is well known to increase the heart rate and even non-rosacea people can flush in the fact when drinking. High sugar foods can also elevate the heart rate and as such increase blood flow to the face, causing flushing. For this reason it is important to avoid that type of food as much as possible.

Rosacea can clearly have a drastic effect on diet and enjoyment of life when it comes to food. Many people find they simply can not visit a restaurant as there is nothing suitable to eat, and hot meals can cause major problems.

Until a cure is found for rosacea, try to stick to the foods you know do not cause you problems, and consider the sacrifices you are making to be good for your health; indeed most of the trigger foods are indeed quite unhealthy for you anyway. A positive mental attitude and a careful diet can help to manage your rosacea and prevent any major flare ups from occurring.

It is estimated that some 14 million people in America are suffering from rosacea. Although treatment exists such as laser treatment, it is not permanent nor does it work for everyone. Because rosacea is not a uniform disease, there is no one size fits all cure. Some people will see great results from laser treatment, whilst others will find the condition worsens afterwards.

The most common age of affected people is 30-50 years old. Although it is certainly possible to be diagnosed with rosacea younger and older than this. The main symptoms of rosacea are facial redness, visible blood vessels and recurring papules and pustules. A burning sensation takes place on the face and these are usually triggered by environmental or dietary factors.

Certain foods can be a trigger for some rosacea suffers. For examples, coffee, chocolate, alcohol or tomatoes just to name a few. Almost all rosacea sufferers will avoid food and drink which are known to cause hot flushes and break outs.

Environmental factors which can trigger rosacea episodes include cold weather, hot weather, heated rooms or fire places. The sun is also a problem for every rosacea sufferers, with the most severe cases avoiding direct sunlight on the face altogether.

Severe rosacea can lead to deformity of the nose and loss of eye sight as well as highly visible spider veins. There is no test to determine whether a person has rosacea; rather doctors look at the combination of symptoms to work out whether the patient is likely to be a rosacea sufferer.

Rosacea awareness in the community is highly important as rosacea sufferers, despite their numbers, are still ‘in the closet’ when it comes to discussing their illness publicly. When they try to explain why they have facial redness they may feel as it others do not understand. It is hoped that a cure and an awareness campaign for rosacea can make the life of sufferers a little more comfortable in future. There are ways to overcome Rosacea.