Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes redness, pimples and broken blood vessels. It most commonly affects the face and eyes as well as the neck, chest, or other areas of skin. Over time, the redness caused by the condition may become permanent as the small blood vessels of the face dilate. Some sufferers also experience small, red, pus-filled bumps.
However, rosacea symptoms can differ widely from person to person and change over time. If not treated, symptoms can get worse over time. This is especially true in women as they get older and enter menopause.
Rosacea Flare-up
Rosacea has flare-ups that come and go. This may happen every few days, every few weeks or every few months. These flare-ups can be triggered by a variety of factors, including:
- Sun
- Heat
- Exercise
- Alcohol
- Blushing
- Stress
- Anger or embarrassment
- Hot drinks
- Spicy foods
- Irritation from skin products
- Certain medicines
Rosacea flare-ups can also occur spontaneously due to skin reaction to mites in bedding or hair follicles or the bacteria in the skin. It can also be the result of an abnormal response by your immune system.
What are Rosacea Symptoms Over Time?
Rosacea often starts with temporary but frequent blushing and flushing of the facial skin. Over time, prolonged redness may occur around the nose area before extending to the rest of the face. Here are some common symptoms and when they are most likely to occur:
- During early stages of the condition, flushing or blushing tends to happen often and lasts a while. Areas affected are the cheeks, chin, forehead, nose, and neck. The flushing can come and go. It is made worse by triggers.
- Long-term (chronic) redness can set in after having rosacea for a while. This is redness of the face that won’t go away and often looks like a sunburn.
- Enlarged, visible blood vessels (telangiectasias) can also appear under the facial skin, especially on the cheeks. The blood vessels may form a web-like pattern. This is more common in women during later stages of the condition.
- Skin bumps (papules and pustules) can also appear. These are either hard, red bumps or softer, liquid-filled pimples that may look like acne. The bumps may come and go and are most common above the nose, on the cheeks and on the chin. This usually occurs during later stages of the condition.
- Thickened skin (phymatous rosacea) can also occur as the body creates extra skin tissue. This most often affects the nose but can also occur on the forehead, chin and cheeks. This is more common in men during later stages of the condition.
Other symptoms that can occur during various stages of rosacea include eye irritation, burning or stinging sensations, swelling and dry skin.
Book a Consultation at Vein Care for More Help
Vein Care provides a range of skin care treatments including sclerotherapy, microsclerotherapy and Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy (UGS) as well as resolving other skin issues, including non surgical vein treatment. To find out more or to make an appointment for a consultation, please call our helpful patient service staff on 1300 730 100 or contact us online.
