Rosacea is a reoccurring disorder of the skin that normally affects men and women over the age of 30. While the disorder is a problem for both sexes, it is more commonly found in women. The symptoms of the disorder include red splotchy patches, soreness and inflammation that are predominately found on the chin, nose, forehead and cheek areas.

Treatment for this disorder is often postponed due to the fact that it is quite common for the onset of rosacea to be confused with sunburn. This is because this illness normally appears on the skin very slowly and only develops fully over a period of time. The redness is often accompanied by an abnormal outbreak of acne that will not go away with any normal acne removal measures.

Environmental issues may play a part in heightening the symptoms of this disorder. Temperature change, rainy weather, sun and wind can all aggravate this ailment, causing even more redness of the skin and increased inflammation. Other factors such as eating spicy foods, drinking too many caffeinated drinks and over indulging in alcoholic beverages can also affect an individual’s rosacea. How badly any of these factors affect this disorder may also be dependent on the individual, as well as how severely the person suffers from the disorder.

If you are suffering from what you think might be the onset of this illness, it is important to consult a physician. Finding out early can help ensure that you receive the correct treatment and can result in less irritating symptoms than if it is left untreated. A physician will be able to prescribe a treatment plan that is right for you and allow you to spend your days dealing with more pressing matters and not worrying about a severe outbreak of symptoms relating to rosacea.

While Rosacea mostly is experienced by white women between the ages of 20 and 50, it can manifest in both men and women, as well as people of all races, not just causasions, and people of all ages, including teenagers, children, and even babies.

Here are some of the common signs and symptoms of Rosacea.

• individual has a red discoloration (“flushing”) of the skin on the cheeks, chin, forehead, nose, and around the mouth
• there are persistent bumps or pimples on the skin, often mistaken for simple acne
• patients eyes are often watery, irritated, bloodshot. there might be a negative reaction to sunlight
• the blood vessels have become swollen on the patients face and are now visible on the surface of the skin
• there is a burning and stinging sensations on the patients face (also simply called inflammation)

Note:
A reddening of the skin, is a medical condition known as erythema. It is said to be caused by capillary congestion, but in up to 50% of cases there is no known reason for the cause.
The persistent bumps or “pimples” are more properly known as papules and pastules, respectively. These are often mistaken for acne but papules and pastules are not simply pimples.

Please note that any one of these signs above, individually, could be a symptom that Rosacea is developing and should be treated as such by consulting with a doctor.

As time goes on, these symptons can create other symptoms, such as a convergence of bumps on the skin which will make it appear larger and swollen, and the same for the cheeks. (This primarily effects men and not women.) This can create that “bulb” nose look occasionally seen on elderly men.