What is Rosacea?

Rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha) is a chronic skin condition (sometimes called Acne Rosacea) that usually effects the face and sometimes the neck and upper shoulders or chest. Rosacea is almost always long lasting with effects being visible for most of a patients adult life. On the bright side, Rosacea does not leave scars and it does not always get worse over time.

Rosacea is a very common skin condition that effects roughly 5 percent of the population. It is estimated that there are roughly 14 million cases in the United States and 1 million cases in Canada. According to a Gallup survey, 78 percent of American that have Rosacea do not even know it! As the burgeoning baby boom generation enters the age of susceptibility, Rosacea is becoming increasingly common. Unfortunately, Rosacea flare ups can easily be misdiagnosed as Adult Acne. It is important to see a trained Dermatologist for a proper diagnosis if your suspect that you may have Rosacea or any other skin diseases.

Rosacea symptoms are few but very obvious. Rosacea can cause cheeks to appear rosy, produce red patches or pimples on the skin or develop small blood vessels on the face. In extreme cases, Rosacea can cause itchy, runny eyes or the skin on the nose to thicken, enlarge and redden (rhinophyma). Rosacea sufferers often complain about having a sun burnt look. The symptoms of Rosacea can be made more acute by sun, extreme heat or cold and vigorous exercise.

Significant psychological, social and occupational problems can occur due to the red face, acne like effects of Rosacea. Treatment for the symptoms of Rosacea is highly recommended to alleviate these effects and prevent the condition from worsening.

With such a large percentage of the population suffering from some level of Rosacea, there is an equally large amount of information about cures, therapy and even laser surgery. I hope that this website will bring you some level of comfort through knowledge and education about Rosacea.

In recent surveys by the National Rosacea Society, "nearly 70 percent of Rosacea patients said this condition had lowered their self-confidence and self-esteem, and 41 percent reported it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements. Among Rosacea patients with severe symptoms, nearly 70 percent said the disorder had adversely affected their professional interactions, and nearly 30 percent said they had even missed work because of their condition."

Primary Signs of Rosacea

Rosacea Symptoms can take many forms and manifest in varying degrees of severity so the following is just a simple guide to Rosacea symptoms.

Flushing - Generally, the earliest sign of Rosacea is redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead. This symptom may come and go. Frequent blushing and/or flushing is another possible symptom of Rosacea.
Persistent Redness - Persistent facial redness is the most common individual sign of Rosacea. This Rosacea symptom may appear to be a blush or sunburn but it does not diminish.
Bumps and Pimples - Small red solid bumps or puss filled pimples that sting or are accompanied with a burning sensation are quite frequent.
Visible Blood Vessels - It is quite common for people with Rosacea to have small blood vessels noticeably visible on the skin of the face or nose.
Watery or irritated eyes - Many Rosacea patients complain of having excessively watery, bloodshot or itchy, irritated eyes.

Additional Rosacea Symptoms

Eye Irritation - In many people with Rosacea, a condition known as ocular Rosacea can occur. In these case, the eyes may be irritated and appear watery or bloodshot. The eyelids also may become red and swollen, and styes are common. Severe cases can result in corneal damage and vision loss without medical help.
Burning or Stinging sensation - Burning or stinging sensations may often occur on the face. Itching or a feeling of tightness may also develop.
Dry Skin Appearance - The central facial skin may be rough, and appear to be very dry.
Skin Plaques - Raised red patches, known as plaques, may develop without changes in the surrounding skin.
Skin Thickening - The skin may thicken and enlarge from excess tissue, most commonly on the nose. This condition, known as rhinophyma, affects more men than women.
Facial Swelling - Facial swelling, known as edema, may accompany other signs of Rosacea or occur independently.
Signs Beyond the Face - Rosacea signs and symptoms may also develop beyond the face, most commonly on the neck, chest, scalp or ears.

Subtypes of Rosacea

Medical experts worldwide identified four subtypes of Rosacea, defined as common patterns or groupings of signs and symptoms. These include:
Subtype 1: Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea - characterized by flushing and persistent redness, and may also include visible blood vessels.
Subtype 2: Papulopustular Rosacea - characterized by persistent redness with transient bumps and pimples.
Subtype 3: Phymatous Rosacea - characterized by skin thickening, often resulting in an enlargement of the nose from excess tissue.
Subtype 4: Ocular Rosacea - characterized by ocular manifestations such as dry eye, tearing and burning, swollen eyelids, recurrent styes and potential vision loss from corneal damage.

Many Rosacea patients experience more than one of these characteristics or subtype at the same time. Often, subtypes may develop in succession. While Rosacea may or may not evolve from one subtype to another, each individual sign or symptom may progress from mild to moderate to severe. Early diagnosis and treatment are therefore recommended.

Who Gets Rosacea?

Most people who contract Rosacea are between the ages of 30 and 60. Generally, patients with Rosacea are fair skinned. That is, they have fair eyes, fair hair and fair skin. Rosacea is more prevalent with people who easily blush or who flush or turn red when or after consuming alcohol or hot, spicy foods. Men usually demonstrate the most severe cases or Rosacea even though women are more often affected by Rosacea. Frequently, Rosacea is characteristic inherited from a parent. If you see older family members with excessive redness of the face, and perhaps pimples or thickening of the skin of the nose you might want to suggest that they seek treatment. If you are starting to develop those characteristics yourself, you might want nip the problem in the bud and seek treatment at an early stage.

What causes Rosacea?

Although the exact cause of Rosacea is unknown, research is ongoing and as a result, there are several theories as to the possible causes of Rosacea. One theory is that Rosacea is a blood vessel disorder. This explains the tendency for Rosacea sufferers to experience facial redness, flushing and blushing. A second theory suggests that common skin bacteria may under go changes or a infection of the stomach by Helicobacter pylori may also play a role. A variety of other theories suggest that Rosacea may be caused by microscopic skin mites (Demodex), fungus, a malfunction of the connective tissue under the skin or even psychological factors. Although possible and interesting, these possible contributors to Rosacea have not been confirmed.

Is Rosacea caused by food?

No, foods are not the cause Rosacea, but they can cause the skin to flush and therefor worsen the inflammation and discomfort of Rosacea.

Triggers for Rosacea

The following food triggers are outlined by the National Rosacea Society

Foods & Beverages that Contribute to Rosacea
• Liver
• Yogurt
• Sour cream
• Cheese (except cottage cheese)
• Chocolate
• Vanilla
• Soy sauce
• Yeast extract (bread is ok)
• Vinegar
• Eggplant
• Avocados
• Spinach
• Broad-leaf beans and pods, including lima, navy or pea
• Citrus fruits, including tomatoes, bananas, red plums, raisins or figs
• Spicy and thermally hot foods
• Foods high in histamine
• Alcohol, especially red wine, beer, bourbon, gin, vodka or champagne
• Hot drinks, including hot cider, hot chocolate, coffee or tea

Environmental Rosacea Triggers
• Saunas
• Hot baths
• Simple overheating
• Excessively warm environments
• Weather (Sun, Strong winds, Cold, Humidity)

Drugs that aggravate Rosacea
• Vasodilators
• Topical steroids

Emotional influences for Rosacea
• Physical exertion
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Exercise
• "Lift and load" jobs

Skin care products that may aggravate Rosacea
• Some cosmetics and hair sprays, especially those containing alcohol, witch hazel or fragrances
• Hydro-alcoholic or acetone substances
• Any substance that causes redness or stinging

Traditional Cures for Rosacea Symptoms

As stated earlier, the exact cause of Rosacea is not known. While there is no cure, there is medical help is available to control the symptoms of Rosacea. As soon as you see one of the warning signs listed on this Web site, see a dermatologist or a knowledgeable physician for diagnosis and appropriate treatment before the symptoms become too severe. Under the guidance of a trained medical physician, safe, simple and long-term treatments can keep the skin in good condition and prevent skin damage.

The most common remedies for the symptoms of Rosacea are:
• The daily application of creams or gels Most of these contain metronidazole (an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication). A common example is Rosasol® cream which contains metronidazole and an SPF-15 sunscreen.
• Tetracycline (antibiotic and anti-inflammatory). This is reserved for more acute cases of severe inflammatory Rosacea. This requires a several month of treatment with Accutane® or some similar medication.
• In advanced cases of Rosacea where there is permanent redness or broken blood vessels, a combination of just a few laser and IPL (intense pulsed light) treatments can reduce signs of redness and enlarged blood vessels. (This can also reduce natural signs of blushing)
• Cataloging (and then avoiding) food and environmental triggers for Rosacea can go a very long way in reducing the day to day signs and symptoms of the disorder.

Natural Cures for Rosacea Symptoms

Natural controls for Rosacea are available. These are not cures for Rosacea - only symptomatic controls. Due to the long term effects involved, the patient will probably decide over time what works best.
• Cataloging (and then avoiding) food and environmental triggers for Rosacea can go a very long way in reducing the day to day signs and symptoms of the disorder.
• Apply small amounts of Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary essential oils) directly to effected area. Dryness may occur so apply moisturizing creme on top of Rosemary essential oil. This works very quickly! In many cases, it will work over night to reduce redness and skin blemishes.

My Rosacea Story

My name is David. I am 43 and I have been suffering with Rosacea for around 10 years.

My Rosacea symptoms are fairly minor - redness accompanied by dry, itchy skin and the occasional small pimples. My Rosacea is usually limited to my forehead, temples, chin and cheeks. Sometimes these pimples have a slight burning sensation. I have tried washing regimes and cremes like Rosacure but nothing worked. Once I was prescribed Tetracycline for something else and my face cleared up totally in about a week. Unfortunately, you can't stay on Tetracycline forever!

Recently, my wife suggested that I try using essential oils to fight my Rosacea. She told me that here hair stylist has Rosacea and she swears by it. I scoffed and rolled my eyes at a "natural cure" but I tried it anyway. Before going to bed one night , I dabbed some Rosemary oil on my red Rosacea patches and Rosacea pimples and hoped for the best. The Rosemary essential oil smelled very strong. The next morning, when I woke up, I was shocked. My Rosacea pimples had disappeared!!! Most of the Rosacea redness was gone too!!! Over night!!!

It has been around 4 months now and my face looks great! While I still have Rosacea (and always will have Rosacea), I look and feel much better. I feel much more confident and I don't feel like people are staring at my face anymore. It is so nice! I have to use the Rosemary essential oil about once a week but it works so fast and it gives me confidence that it will work every time. If you suffer from Rosacea, I recommend that you try this. My doctor had never heard of it before and he now recommends it to other patients.

Rosemary Essential Oil $12.54 USD (4 fl oz) This is the exact Rosemary essential oil that I use to control my Rosacea out breaks. It can be used for more than fighting Rosacea symptoms. A word from the merchant: "Woodsy, fresh, with an incense-like aroma. Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance. The plant produces an almost colorless essential oil with a strong, fresh, camphor aroma. It's used in many citrus colognes, forest and Oriental perfumes, and eau de cologne. Rinses for dark hair often contain rosemary, as do room deodorants, household sprays, disinfectants and soaps. Traditionally used as an antiseptic, muscle relaxant, soothing agent, skin conditioner. Blends well with: olibanum, lavender, lavandin, citronella, thyme, basil, peppermint, labdanum, elemi, cedarwood, petitgrain, cinnamon. Aromatherapy benefits: clarifying, invigorating. Some traditional uses: to energize, for muscle pains, cramps or sprains, brighten mood, for improving mental clarity and memory, easing pain, to relieve headaches, disinfecting. Rosemary oil should not be used during pregnancy and is unsuitable for people with epilepsy or high blood pressure. Rosemary oil has a pronounced action on the brain; it clears the mind and aids the memory. It helps with headaches, migraines, neuralgia, mental fatigue and nervous exhaustion. The antiseptic action of Rosemary oil is especially suitable for intestinal infections and diarrhea; it also eases colitis, dyspepsia, flatulence, hepatic disorders and jaundice. Rosemary oil can relieve pain such as rheumatism, arthritis, muscular pain and gout. It can help for arteriosclerosis, palpitations, poor circulation and varicose veins."

 

Resources

http://www.rosaceaguide.ca - Canadian guide to Rosacea. Useful for Americans too.
National Rosacea Society - American Rosacea Society. Packed with very useful information about Rosacea.