Rosacea

Rosacea is a harmless but unsightly skin disorder in the face. Most striking is the bright red color of the cheeks and nose. The condition may resemble acne, but rosacea is later age than acne. Rosacea is more common in people with pale skin. Especially middle-aged women are often affected. In men it is less common. Rosacea can be treated well, but it has the tendency to head back to the stabbing.

The symptoms occur gradually and eventually tend to be worse. They vary from person to person.
• In the early stages the symptoms are usually limited to flushing redness or a long-term redness of the cheeks, the nose, the center of the forehead and chin. Often this is accompanied by stinging, sometimes painful sensations in the face after exposure to wind, excessive cold or after washing the face. It never occurs to itch.
• Later on the cheeks very small capillaries are visible not disappear. We call this rosacea. There may also be red bumps (papules) and pimples (pustules) occur, especially on the cheeks, nose and chin, but sometimes the whole face. Rosacea is therefore sometimes called acne rosacea, acne real although it has little to do. The pores in the skin are more visible. At this stage, eye and eyelid abnormalities also occur.
• Ultimately create more red spots and thick disks (infiltrates) into the skin. Sometimes there is a swollen skin is hard and lumpy.

Causes
The cause of rosacea is unknown, but it is, at least in its early form, to an abnormal reaction of the blood vessels in the face. In a later stage will be associated with chronic inflammations. Although rosacea is treated with antibiotics, there is no indication that it would be a skin bacterial infection.
A number of factors may affect an existing rosacea, but are not the cause.

Food and alcohol
Alcohol may temporarily dilation of the superficial blood vessels in the skin worse, but no cause of rosacea. Also a cauliflower nose or rhinophyma has nothing to do with alcohol. The same goes for spicy or hot foods and drinks.

Heat / Cold
Rosacea is often worst in the winter. In many patients, improvement occurs in the summer, but others are under the influence of the sun the skin lesions worse correctly. Sunlight and other forms of heat, most people with rosacea a worsening of the symptoms cause.
Probably the transition from cold to heat, which widen blood vessels of the skin, the reason for the worsening of rosacea.

Cosmetics
Many patients find that the condition worsens when using cleaning lotions, shampoos and the like.

Psychological factors
Psychological factors stress, depression, violent emotions ... are not a cause. They may possibly worsen the symptoms are temporary. Rosaceas can also psychological problems because people are ashamed of their red cheeks and nose.

Hormonal factors
Hormonal factors play no role in rosacea, unlike acne vulgaris. Hot flashes during menopause can aggravate rosacea symptoms are.
What can you do yourself?
The general recommendation is that you should avoid any factors which you feel that your symptoms worsen them.

Food and alcohol
Avoid alcohol, spicy foods and hot drinks.

Heat and cold
• Be careful with hot showers, baths and sauna.
• Avoid exposure to strong wind and intense cold,
• Protect your skin from sun with a sunscreen with a high protection.

Skin care
• Avoid potential skin irritants such as soaps, products containing alcohol, irritating cosmetics, peelings, etc.;
• Never use corticosteroid creams or ointments to the face.
• Face was always Luke-warm water
• Use a soap-free waxen, and as little as possible
• do not use (rough) Washcloth
• pat face dry, not rub.

Physical effort
• Always warm up well for sports
• Adequate drinking
• No sports in hot weather.

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