What are the symptoms of Rosacea?
The first signs of Rosacea may be redness or flushing that comes and goes and typically affects the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. Other symptoms can also be a burning or stinging sensation, permanent redness, spots in the form of papules/pustules and small blood vessels in the skin becoming visible. Although not life threatening, the symptoms of rosacea can leave people to feel depressed and anxious with low self esteem. Severe Rosacea can result in the thickening of facial skin, especially around the nose. This tends to affect males much more than females.
What Causes Rosacea?
The exact cause of Rosacea is unknown, but there are a lot of factors that can trigger or worsen the symptoms, including:
Hot food or drinks
Caffeine, spicy foods and dairy products
Extreme heat
Vigorous exercise
Stress & Anxiety
What Can I Do To Help My Rosacea?
Build up a list of things that trigger an outbreak and avoid them if possible
Always wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen
Avoid excessive heat
Protect your face from wind and cold in the winter by using a scarf
Reduce stress levels by eating a healthy well balanced diet, drink plenty of water, sleep well and low intensity excercise such as yoga
What clinical help is available?
Go to your doctor for advice. Sometimes anti-biotics can be prescribed for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Topical medications applied to the skin can greatly reduce the symptoms, but do not buy over the counter products as these may aggravate the symptoms. Speak to your skin care specialist for advice.