What is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a chronic, non-contagious condition that touches millions of people. It is often a condition many are unfamiliar with and don’t recognize even when they have it. Rosacea has conditions that are changeable. It may flair up and be noticeable and then not be noticed the next day. It generally starts around the age of thirty, though there is no set age, as children are able to get it as well. Women present more commonly with it on the cheeks and chin, where as men tend to show on the nose region. .

While Rosacea is more common on fair skinned clients, darker skin clients can be affected as well. It may be harder to recognize, but a trained dermatologist or doctor can help the client.

The cause of Rosacea is unknown at this time. Rosacea can be controlled, but not cured. There are many different options to treat Rosacea including oral medications, creams and gels, but these are not cures. You may notice redness or flushing, as well as bumps that appear on the face, presenting themselves almost like pimples. Many times there are visible blood vessels or broken capillaries. Sometimes skin will appear thicker.

Rosacea can be found all over the head, but mostly presents itself on the face. Severe cases of Rosacea may leave scarring and a person with Rosacea should never ignore it. Rosacea may leave a person feeling uncomfortable or frustrated with the appearance of their skin.

Rosacea has different levels which are considered subtypes. The milder form may appear as merely facial redness, while a more severe form may experience severe thickening of the skin or even eye irritation.

There is no one answers for Rosacea yet, though there are different ideas as to what causes it. There are conferences each year for doctors and researchers to discuss their findings, though none has been conclusive as the only answer. One theory was that enzymes in a person’s sweat cause a peptide to become active, even though it is usually inactive when it is first made on the skin’s surface. There are many advances, but still no single answer.

Sun exposure, stress, wind, caffeine and alcohol are frequent triggers to Rosacea flaring. Rosacea may be controlled with oral medication or with ointments and creams. The oral medication is considered effective, but is only used in the short term. Antibiotics are used due to their anti-inflammatory properties and not for their bacterial fighting properties in this case.

The National Rosacea Society gives out research grants to help find answers to this problem. You can find more information about Rosacea at www.Rosacea.org.