Rosacea is one of the most misunderstood diseases there is. It does not also help that sometimes people's faces get so damaged that they won't even talk about their problem. Rosacea, to those tho have not heard of the problem, rosacea is a skin problem characterized by severe redness on the skin on the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin.
Unlike acne, there seems to be no hormonal imbalances or blackheads/whiteheads. All rosacea can offer is a totally confusing set of symptoms and triggers. It is in fact so confusing that some people do not even realize they have rosacea. The redness that have developed is often attributed to sunburn or just flushing. Still, it pays to know who the patients are and how far they are along with the program. Below are some of the most common questions about rosacea. Read on and some of your questions may be answered.
Who are affected?
The nickname "The Curse of the Celts" perhaps can answer the question. Rosacea often affects Caucasians that are in their 30s to people in their 50s. Women are also more affected than men.
What are the symptoms?
Besides the redness on the skin of the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin, people affected with rosacea may also suffer from watery eyes. Blood vessels may also be seen through the skin. In some cases, pustules and pimples develop. Unlike acne, these pimples when pressed do not spat out pus or whiteheads; they secrete clear liquids.
How is it cured?
Unfortunately, rosacea has no cure. In fact, scientists are not even sure what exactly causes the problem. It is a lifelong chronic problem that needs lifelong management and control. When you say chronic, it means that the symptoms comes and goes depending on the type of exposure to the triggers and for how long.
What are the most common triggers?
The list of possible triggers may be long but these are all confirmed by people who have had Rosacea. One of the main triggers is hot weather, particularly a high temperature. This is why people with rosacea do not venture out in the sun for too long. Sun exposure for a continuous and long period of time can lead to severe flare ups.
Stress can also be a factor and so does spicy food, which like hot weather can raise up the temp. There are also foods that people with rosacea should avoid. One of which is chocolate and other dairy products. Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages is also a no no. Some veggies like eggplant and beans are included in the list and so are fruits like the plum and some citrus foods. Coffee and other products with caffeine can also trigger flare ups.
How is it transmitted and does it worsen with age?
There is still no conclusive reason why people get rosacea. It is not passed on to people by face to face contact. When left untreated, rosacea can worsen. Thus, it is important that you find out what your triggers are as early as possible.
How is it managed?
There are a lot of treatments available to people with rosacea. There are the medicines, which can either be topical or oral. Usually doctors will give topical medicines to see its effects. Oral medicines on the other hand are closely monitored because of its side effects. In fact, some oral medicines like for instance steroids are not even taken continuously. Some medicines are also given in tandem with other forms of treatment like laser therapies, which are actually very effective in reducing incidence.
Jose Amoros
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