Warning Signs of Rosacea

Pre-rosacea is the earliest noticeable stage of rosacea. Signs and symptoms of pre-rosacea include frequent episodes of flushing or redness of the face and/or neck that come and go. Things that can cause an episode of pre-rosacea are exposure to the sun, emotional stress, alcohol, spicy foods, exercise, cold wind, hot foods and beverages, and hot baths. Again, each person is different and what might affect one person’s rosacea might not bother the next.

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Early Onset of Rosacea

Pre-rosacea is the earliest noticeable stage of rosacea. Signs and symptoms of pre-rosacea include frequent episodes of flushing or redness of the face and/or neck that come and go. Things that can cause an episode of pre-rosacea are exposure to the sun, emotional stress, alcohol, spicy foods, exercise, cold wind, hot foods and beverages, and hot baths. Again, each person is different and what might affect one person’s rosacea might not bother the next.

Some Ingredients that Aggravate Rosacea

A survey of 1,023 rosacea patients by the National Rosacea Society identified types of skin-care products and ingredients that commonly pose problems for rosacea sufferers.
For women, the biggest culprits were astringents/toners (49.5 percent), soap (40 percent), exfoliant agents (34 percent), makeup (29 percent), perfume/cologne (27 percent), moisturizer (25.5 percent) and hairsprays (20 percent). For men, over 24 percent said flare-ups had been caused by shaving lotion; nearly 24 percent were sensitive to soap; 19 percent were affected by perfume/cologne; and sunscreen aggravated 13 percent.
Topping the list as the most irritating ingredient was alcohol, affecting 66 percent of all respondents. Other frequently aggravating ingredients included witch hazel (30 percent), fragrance (29.5 percent), menthol (21 percent), peppermint (14 percent) and eucalyptus oil (13 percent).
Despite the variety of skin-care products that may aggravate rosacea, 78 percent of the women and 56 percent of the men said they are now using effective skin-care products that do not irritate their condition.

Adenosine Triphosphate May Play a Role in Rosacea

Results from previous research funded by the National Rosacea Society have led investigators Dr. Richard Granstein and colleagues at the Cornell University Medical School to focus in their current study on adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a natural substance in the body that may play a key role in the flushing, telangiectasia and bumps and pimples of rosacea.
"We are very excited about the possible role of ATP in triggering the signs of rosacea," said Dr. Granstein, the study's lead investigator. "We suspect ATP may play a significant part in causing the bumps and pimples of subtype 2 (papulopustular) rosacea."
In their earlier NRS-funded research investigating the biochemical pathways that regulate the growth of new blood vessels, flushing and inflammation, Dr. Granstein's group demonstrated that ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, which is found in sunlight and causes sunburn, may increase vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a regulator of blood vessel growth, and may also increase interleukin 8, which plays a role in inflammation.
In addition, the researchers' early data indicated that endothelial cells -- cells that line the blood vessels -- respond to ATP with changes in the expression of inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins that act to recruit inflammatory cells. ATP also may affect vascular tone by inducing vasodilation -- enlargment of the blood vessels -- which may result in the appearance of redness.
Known as the "molecular currency" of intracellular energy transfer, ATP acts like a rechargeable battery and is able to store and transport chemical energy within cells. The substance not only is present in neurons, or nerve cells, which are affected by rosacea triggers such as stress, but also serves as an extracellular messenger, according to Dr. Granstein. "In this way, it can tell endothelial cells to release the inflammatory cytokines discussed earlier," he said.
"Its widespread presence suggests there may be many pathways by which ATP may mediate rosacea," Dr. Granstein said. "ATP may play a significant role in producing inflammation, and have a profound effect in response to rosacea triggers. If so, blocking these pathways may lead to major advances in therapy."

A Cause of Rosacea

Rosacea results from an overly acidic body and skin. The pH scale (potential of hydrogen) as you remember from your high school general science or chemistry class, ranges from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. As you rethink your past rosacea history, you will see that ‘all’ the rosacea triggers come from ‘acidic items’ regardless of whether they are foods, drinks, stress, out of breath due to not enough oxygen (alkaline) and not able to exhaust enough carbon dioxide (acidic). We all know that if we hold our breath for 30 seconds or 60 seconds, we will all notice that our face turns pink or red.
We all know, but hardly think that the cause is a build up of carbon dioxide which is an ‘acidic’ gas and we have a shortage of oxygen. Very similarly, when we exercise for a short period, we have a build up of ‘lactic acid’ which is a body waste which is obviously acidic. Likewise, those with rosacea need to be very concerned about the build up of acids in our blood stream due to the foods and beverages that we consume.
We all know of our triggers such as alcohol, coffee, pizza, candy/cookies, various medications, etc. which all have a pH below 7.0 or is termed acidic.
Our objective therefore should be to balance, buffer or neutralize the acids with alkaline. Water is alkaline with a pH of about 7.3, and likewise more alkaline foods such as more “fresh vegetables and fruits are needed which are alkaline (higher pH than 7.0).
Acidic foods and drinks are the problem with a pH of below 7.0 such as coffee at 2.2 and beer averaging 2.0 to 2.5, wines at 3.0, whiskeys/gin/vodka at 4.0 (2 ounces mixed with six ounces of water at 7.3 averages about 6.5 pH or so which is a good drink. The opposite is true when mixed with coke as Soft Drinks have a pH of about 2-2.5 pH. So try hard to minimize the above drinks and delete them entirely if possible while increasing your alkaline foods.

Rosacea: Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of rosacea include:

Red areas on your face

Small, red bumps or pustules on your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin (not the same as whiteheads or blackheads)

Red, bulbous nose (rhinophyma)

Visible small blood vessels on your nose and cheeks

Burning or gritty sensation in your eyes (ocular rosacea)

Tendency to flush or blush easily

A Clear Picture of Rosacea

To get a clear picture of rosacea; it may be best to start with a clinical definition of rosacea.: Rosacea is a hereditary, chronic (long term) skin disorder that most often affects the nose, forehead, cheekbones, and chin (Dr. Berasques). Groups of tiny microvessels (arterioles, capillaries, and venules) close to the surface of the skin become dilated, resulting in blotchy red areas with small papules (a small, red solid elevated inflammatory skin lesion without pus, that is minor when the size is of a small measles lesion, moderate when about the size of a pencil eraser, and severe when the papule is the size of a small currency coin or the tip of the little finger) and pustules (pus-filled inflammatory bumps). The redness can come and go, but eventually it may become permanent. Furthermore, the skin tissue can swell and thicken and may be tender and sensitive to the touch. Note: Pustules are NOT pimples. Pimples have a bacterial component to their pathogenesis and are also mainly localized in and around the hair follicles. This implies that there can be no cure for rosacea or even an effective treatment for your rosacea and yet many have found ways to control their rosacea through effective treatment and lifestyle changes.

Sunscreens for Warmer Weather

SunscreensSunscreens are designed to protect against sunburn (UVB rays) and generally provide little protection against UVA rays. UVA rays have a depressing effect on the immune system, and are therefore a "setup" for other dermatological problems such as rosacea.

Sunscreens come in two forms:

Chemical sunscreens contain chemicals such as benzophenone or oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) as the active ingredient. They prevent sunburn by absorbing the ultraviolet (UVB) rays. Most chemical sunscreens contain from 2 to 5% of benzophenone or its derivatives (oxybenzone, benzophenone-3) as their active ingredient. Benzophenone is one of the most powerful free radical general known to science. It is used in industrial processes to initiate chemical reactions and promote cross-linking. Benzophenone is activated by ultraviolet light. The absorbed energy breaks benzophenone's double bond to produce two free radical sites. Most chemical sunscreens cause various degrees of redness and sensitivity to rosacea sufferers.

Physical sunscreens contain ingredients such as zinc oxide, sodium chloride, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, iron oxide and sulfur. These physical sunscreens are topical and do not penetrate the skin. They work by reflecting the ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) rays away from the skin. These physical natural minerals as a sunscreen are preferable for rosacea sufferers. Also, you can get further sun protection by applying the chemical sunscreen over the physical sunscreen, which helps to keep the skin from being irritated by the chemical sunscreen.

The Effects of Acne on Rosacea

Rosacea and acne are two entirely different conditions, although they can and do appear together. Rosacea is very often accompanied by acne pimples in over 76% of patients while approximately 35% have seborrheic dermatitis which makes for an even more sensitive skin condition. When the acne and rosacea appear together the result is often called by many names: acne rosacea, rosacea, or adult acne.
Clogged skin pores and bacterial infections cause acne. The blackheads, whiteheads and pimples associated with acne are not associated with rosacea.
The pimples, pustules, and cysts that occur in rosacea may look like typical acne, but closer scrutiny reveals the absence of whiteheads and blackheads. In rosacea, the pimples and cysts rarely appear on the chest and back. Rosacea consists of red bumps called papules. These papules are usually solid and hard. The papules range in size from small bumps that resemble the measles or chicken pox, all the way to larger, penny-shaped nodules.
Acne does not cause rosacea, but many of the medications used in the treatment of acne can contribute to the onset and/or aggravation of rosacea symptoms.