What are the Symptoms of Rosacea?

Rosacea can be more common in women with lighter skin than in men, however symptoms for men can usually be worse.

Common signs of rosacea include:

• Redness and blushing across the centre of the face eg. nose, cheeks and chin
• A burning or stinging sensation when washing the face with water or skincare products.
• Dry skin patches
• Swelling around the eye area
• Sore eyelids and crusty eyelashes- this could be linked to blepharitis

Symptoms of rosacea can be made worse by diet, lifestyle and skincare habits.

These habits include alcohol, spicy food, sun exposure, frequent travel to different temperature destinations, stress, perfumed and chemical-laden cosmetics and skincare products and regular vigorous exercise. Rosacea particularly affects people with pale skin and those who blush easily. Rosacea is most typical in women over the age of 50 and is often triggered or exacerbated by the menopause.

Approximately one in ten people have rosacea. However it can occur in younger women and also in men. Notably even though less men get rosacea than women, in men the symptoms are usually more severe.

There is no conclusive evidence that rosacea is triggered in women by hormonal disruptions, however the menopause is often a danger zone. Pregnancy can also trigger rosacea, especially if the pregnancy is when a woman is over 30.

It’s often a misconception that people who have rosacea also have oily skin and acne. Adult acne and acne rosacea are often confused but are in fact very different skin conditions and require very different treatments. Unlike adult acne, rosacea is usually accompanied by dry not oily skin and people who develop rosacea have typically not previously had spotty skin, although they may have had sensitive skin and skin that is prone to easy flushing.

The easiest way to guess that you have rosacea is the relatively sudden appearance of frequently flushed skin and small rashes spots across the cheeks and nose around middle age, these are typical signs of the onset of rosacea.

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