What Is It?
Rosacea is characterized by persistent redness and sometimes a burning sensation on the face, scalp, neck, ears, chest and/or back. If you get flushed very easily – and stay that way for long periods of time – you may have rosacea, says Dr. Catherine Zip, a clinical dermatologist at the Dermatology Centre in Calgary. It can begin in childhood, affects about 10% of the population and generally affects more women than men.

You may also experience:

Inflammatory rosacea:
In this advanced form, persistent redness is accompanied by red bumps and visible blood vessels.

Ocular rosacea:
Affecting the eye area, symptoms include irritated, red eyes with small cysts and contact-lens intolerance.

Triggers
Nobody can say for sure what causes rosacea, but if your mother has it, there’s a good chance you’ll get it, too. And while food and lifestyle habits don’t cause it, avoid triggers that can contribute to flare-ups, such as alcohol (particularly red wine), spicy foods, long bouts of exercise, cold air, wind and sun.

Fast Fix
To minimize flare-ups, use non-soap cleansers, moisturizers and makeup that are formulated for people with sensitive skin or rosacea, and don’t use scrubs. Protect your skin in cold weather, and always wear a high SPF sunscreen.

The Good News
Because rosacea doesn’t usually affect the smoothness of your skin the way acne or some other skin conditions may, it can be covered up very easily with concealer.

Bottom Line
To effectively manage rosacea, you must be vigilant about making smart and healthy lifestyle choices to prevent flare-ups – and wear sunscreen every day. “People often make the mistake of treating a skin problem only when it’s flaring up,” says Dr. Zip. “With rosacea, it’s important to treat it daily because we know that when you stop, it’s quite common for symptoms to reappear in just a few months.”

First published in Wish May 2008