Many people are not aware of the skin condition rosacea, even though it is quite common. Upon hearing it for the first time, one might actually think it is something pleasant, since the name reminds us of roses. In fact, the name is very similar…roses come from the family “rosaceae”. The idea of having “rosy” cheeks also has pleasant connotations and associations with good health.
Rosacea, however, is anything but pleasant. Some people think that getting flushed in the cheeks, nose, and neck after a glass of wine or cup of coffee means they have rosacea. While this is certainly one of the (more minor) symptoms of the disorder, it entails many more physical symptoms.
What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a persistent, chronic disorder of the skin and sometimes the eyes that is characterized by an inflammatory redness usually on the nose and cheeks but sometimes elsewhere, swelling, small and visible dilated or distended (“broken”) capillaries, bumps and acne pustules, irritated and watery eyes, and in severe cases, areas of thickened skin that can lead to disfigurement. Rosacea can be effectively treated in several different ways, but to my knowledge, it cannot be cured. Diagnosis can be challenging, since many of the symptoms are similar to other skin disorders including regular acne, eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis (disorder/irritation of the oil glands).
What causes rosacea?
This is where things get tricky. There are several different schools of thought on why some people get rosacea and others do not. According to Dr. Jonathan Wilkin, a prominent rosacea expert and former Chief of the FDA Division of Dermatologic and Dental Drug Products, doctors “know less about rosacea than any other skin disorder."
Most professionals do agree that it is acquired, not hereditary; but some still think it is genetic. According to the International Rosacea Foundation, if rosacea was an inherited skin disorder, it would start from the very early age of two weeks or several years after birth when most other inherited genetic disorders are noticed. Rosacea typically does not show up until people are between the ages of 30 and 50.
We know that rosacea “flare ups” are brought on by certain food and environmental triggers. Most healthcare, holistic, and skin care professionals agree that many of the triggers involve acidic foods and drinks, stress, sun exposure, harsh climates, certain medications, and using skin care products and cosmetics that contain harsh and irritant ingredients.
Article comments
1 - NW
I suffered from Rosacea for years without knowing that's what it was. It took me a long time to figure out my main triggers and I still have flare-ups.
I've tried many, many Rosacea Treatments and read Rosacea Your Self-Help Guide by Dr. Brownstein which you link to on Amazon. It's a great book and has terrific information about diet and Rosacea triggers. I recommend it. [Edited]
2 - Tobby
Thank you for this article! however over 50 million people all over the world suffer from rosacea, and this's really a problem..
3 - Rachael Pontillo
It certainly is a widespread problem...people who have it need to educate themselves on all of the different treatment options and work on eliminating the trigger foods from their diets to help reduce the incidences of flare ups. If people are going to try to treat it with a harsh drug, they need to understand the long term consequences of doing so...often these drugs make the problem worse and cause other problems for the skin and body in the long run.