What you need to know about rosacea

How do I know it’s rosacea?

The first signs of rosacea are a redness across your cheeks, forehead, and nose. Your face may also feel warm, hot or painful and there can be a burning or stinging feeling when using water or skincare products.

If rosacea gets worse, you may notice the skin on your cheeks, nose, and forehead may be red all the time. It can cause tiny broken blood vessels on your skin, and you may also notice small pink or red bumps on your face that can sometimes be filled with a yellowish liquid.  Other symptoms can include:

• Dry skin

• Swelling, especially around the eye area

• Yellow-orange patches on the skin

• Sore eyelids or crusts around the eyelash roots

• Thickening skin mainly on the nose (usually after living with the condition for many years)

What causes rosacea?

The exact cause of rosacea is not fully understood. Genetics, immune system problems, and environmental factors may all play a part. Factors that trigger rosacea cause the blood vessels in the skin on the face to enlarge. There are different triggers that can make the condition worse in some people, including:

• Alcohol

• Spicy food

• Hot drinks

• Hot or cold temperatures

• Aerobic exercise

• Stress and sunlight

Understanding these triggers can really help you manage the condition. It’s important to know that rosacea isn’t caused by poor hygiene, and it is not contagious.

How is rosacea treated?

Although rosacea cannot be cured, there are ways to treat it and soothe any discomfort. Treatment from a GP can help control the symptoms to avoid them getting worse. A GP may recommend prescription creams or gels you can apply to your skin. They may also prescribe a course of antibiotics and refer you to a dermatologist if topical treatments like creams and gels aren’t working.

Things you can do yourself to reduce the impact of rosacea

There are some practical things you can try to help manage your rosacea symptoms. Keeping a note of what triggers you notice are linked to rosacea flare-ups can help you to identify what external factors contribute to your condition.

You could also try:

• Wearing a high SPF sunscreen every day - at least SPF 30

• Limiting exposure to heat, sunlight, or humid conditions if possible

• Covering your face in cold weather

• Choosing gentle skincare products for sensitive skin

• Taking steps to manage stress levels

• Limiting alcohol, hot drinks, spicy food, and excessive aerobic exercise if you know these affect your symptoms

More information and specialist advice can be found from these resources:

• The British Association of Dermatologists

• Changing Faces Charity