Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects the face, especially the nose, chin, cheekbones, and forehead. It most commonly occurs in fair-skinned women and middle-aged people between the ages of 30 and 60. Less commonly, it occurs in men and its symptoms are more aggressive.
A common and prominent symptom of rosacea is the redness of the face, given that the blood vessels and hair follicles are damaged, the capillaries dilate more easily, producing the typical reddening of the skin.
However, not all skin redness is synonymous with rosacea. A sunburn is characterised by inflammation and reddening of the skin, having a fever or an increase in blood pressure also causes it, and some people even get it when exposed to wind or cold.
Although it seems only a cosmetic issue, the progression of rosacea on facial skin causes frequent discomfort such as burning and dryness, so it is important to treat it. One of the best skin care products is the anti-redness cream by Bioderma Australia.
Self-detection and symptoms of rosacea
Facial flushing is one of the most common signs, it can resemble a blush or a sunburn that does not go away. One of the characteristics of the early onset of this condition is the sensation of warmth or burning that comes and goes, as well as the appearance of small blood vessels called telangiectasias, located mostly on the cheeks, bridge of the nose and other central areas of the face.
In some cases, the eyes may appear irritated (ocular rosacea), producing the sensation of sand in the eyes, burning, itching, dryness, or sensitivity to light, and the eyelids may become red. Studies have shown that, over time, the redness tends to become more persistent. In severe cases, visible blood vessels appear, which, if left untreated, eventually form inflammatory pimples and surface thickening occurs.
Skincare tips to combat redness and rosacea
It is common to have access to thousands of skin products but with rosacea, you can’t use just any product. If your skin is dry or sensitive, you should try to use an unscented moisturiser regularly. It is important to protect the skin with sunscreen on the face every day. Furthermore, topical corticosteroid preparations should not be used if not recommended by the dermatologist as they may worsen rosacea in the long term.
Also, try to keep your skin clean and remember not to rub the face when cleaning it because rubbing makes rosacea worse, and do not use products such as perfumed soaps to clean the face.
Something that seems obvious, but which people often forget, is the need to avoid practices that make rosacea worse, such as poor diet. One thing that is extremely helpful in identifying these practices is to keep a record of redness episodes to see if they are associated with certain foods, activities, or other triggers so that you know what they are and can avoid them.
