Rosacea Is Follicle Disorder

Rosacea is a disorder of the follicles and surrounding skin that usually occurs on the forehead, nose, and chin. It involves reddening, acnelike lesions, and broken blood vessels. Rosacea improves and worsens in unpredictable cycles. The exact cause is unknown.

Although rosacea can appear at any age, it is most prevalent between 30 and 60 years old. It occurs about equally in men and women, although severe cases are more common in men. Rosacea seems to have a genetic component. Individuals whose family members have rosacea have a higher incidence of the disorder.
Emotional and physical stress, windy conditions, heat, and sun exposure can exacerbate rosacea. Dietary triggers include dairy products, certain spices, hot liquids, and alcohol.
Some people with stomach ulcers are prone to develop rosacea. The cause of a high percentage of stomach ulcers is infection with the bacterium Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori). While studies are still inconclusive, eradication of H. pylori in ulcer patients can lead to improvement in rosacea. There is increasing evidence that this bacterium causes a variety of systemic disorders. However, rosacea appears without H. pylori and vice versa.

Doctors usually diagnose rosacea by observing the appearance of the skin. Not all redness, flushing, and blushing is caused by rosacea. However, redness that takes a long time to clear up, or never clears up, often indicates rosacea.
Acne pustules sometimes develop with this condition; however, blackheads are not a hallmark. Bacterial infections can contribute to inflammation. As the disorder progresses, the patient’s facial skin exhibits broken blood vessels. A rare symptom is rhinophyma, a thick, leathery texture of the nose skin. The eyes can be affected with irritation and increased light sensitivity.

If people predisposed to rosacea, preventive steps involve managing the environmental and dietary triggers related to the disorder. The use of sunscreen minimizes the effects of sun exposure. Staying indoors and using air conditioning during hot, humid weather reduces the heat component. An individual whose rosacea is triggered by dairy products, alcohol, or certain spices should restrict their intake or eliminate them from the diet.

Tips For Controlling Winter Induced Rosacea

Here are some tips for controlling winter's effect on rosacea symptoms:
*Minimize time outdoors in inclement weather, and use a scarf or ski mask to protect the face from wind.
*Wear loose, layered clothing to protect from both cold outdoor weather and indoor heat.
*Use a sunscreen year round. Sun exposure is the most common rosacea tripwire, and can affect the face even in winter.
*Avoid holiday stress. Pace yourself, and do not over-commit to activities.
*Take cool-off breaks from holiday baking or cooking.
*Limit consumption of heated beverages as well as alcohol, another common rosacea tripwire.
*Use an ice cube to lower the temperature.
*Be sure to continue using rosacea medication consistently.

Living With Rosacea In The Wintertime

Whether you live in the north woods of Wisconsin or the milder weather states of the South, the winter months can be especially challenging for people with rosacea. Various factors -- from wind and cold to sun exposure, indoor heat and low humidity -- all rank high on the list of common triggers for rosacea flare-ups.
"Ocular rosacea especially tends to get worse in winter as the eyes become more irritable due to cold and windy conditions," said Dr. Guy Webster, professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College. "Many people whose eyes are affected by rosacea do not realize the irritation is from a medical disorder and that it requires special treatment and care." He noted that common signs and symptoms of ocular rosacea include increased eye irritation, a watery discharge, eyes that feel gritty or very dry, a bloodshot appearance or the presence of a stye. "
In addition to medical treatment, patients with ocular symptoms should minimize time outdoors in winter," Dr. Webster said. "They can also protect their eyes from icy blasts with UV protected glasses or sunglasses."
The facial effects of rosacea are also frequently aggravated during the winter due to cold and windy conditions in the North or sun and heat in the South. And symptoms are often further exacerbated when "snowbirds" from the North escape to the South in search of sun and warmer temperatures, or conversely when those from a warmer climate plan skiing trips to the northern mountains and fail to take precautions for weather changes.
Many patients have noted that indoor heat also frequently poses a problem during the winter as well as spring. Regulating indoor temperature during changing weather conditions, as well as maintaining indoor humidity, can be difficult but well worth the effort to avoid flare-ups.
"In winter, the facial skin becomes dryer and more easily irritated," said Dr. Steven Feldman, professor, Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University. "
It's important to comply with medical therapy to keep flare-ups at bay and to make sure your topical therapy formulation does not irritate your skin." Dr. Feldman said that topical formulations can be matched to individual patient sensitivities, and noted for example that a recent clinical study found a topical gel may be less irritating for many patients than a cream formulation. He also recommended that rosacea sufferers use a moisturizer and a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher during winter months, since the sun can trigger a flare-up at any time of the year.

Health Can Affect Rosacea

Coming down with a cold or suffering through allergies may be bad enough. Making matters worse, these conditions also cause rosacea flare-ups in many individuals, according to a survey on rosacea and other medical conditions by the National Rosacea Society.

In the survey of 837 rosacea sufferers,
32 percent of the respondents reported that their rosacea flared up when they experienced allergic reactions.
Twenty-four percent said colds aggravated their condition, and
20 percent cited fever as a problem. Of the women who responded, 21 percent said menopause had triggered flare-ups.

Other medical conditions associated with flare-ups in various rosacea sufferers included
cough (12 percent),
flu (11 percent),
stress (10 percent),
migraine (8 percent) and
caffeine withdrawal (4 percent).

The survey confirmed what many physicians have already found -- some underlying health conditions and temporary ailments can stimulate a flushing response and trigger rosacea flare-ups. In general, anything that causes flushing of the face can lead to a flare-up, and 42 percent of the survey respondents cited this as a rosacea tripwire.

Medical therapy for other health conditions also may bring about a flare-up in some individuals, the survey showed. Ten percent of the survey respondents said they experienced flare-ups in reaction to topical steroids.

Smaller numbers reported rosacea flare-ups associated with
ACE inhibitors (5 percent),
cholesterol-lowering agents (4 percent) and
vasodilators (3 percent).
Nine percent of the respondents said their health care providers had changed their therapy to avoid medications that seemed to aggravate their rosacea. Fortunately, nearly 72 percent of the respondents said their rosacea improved after other medical conditions were under control.

The Future of Rosacea Research?

In a recent letter from the NRS, thanking the RRF supporters, Mr. Sam Huffhas revealed some interesting information about the NRS.

All donations from individuals, either via their web site, or via post are directed solely towards research funding. This has been the case for several years. The promotional and support activities of the NRS are funded from industry and other sources.

This means that everyone is able to directly fund rosacea research by donating to the NRS.

The letter is here http://rosacea-research.org/pdfs/NRSThankYou.pdf

One of the positive things to emerge of late is the dialogue between the RRFand the NRS. We have discovered that the NRS is indeed keen to expand its research funding program. Mr. Huff has also taken the opportunity to politely respond to public concerns about the operation of the NRS.

We all look forward to what the NRS and rosacea sufferers together can achieve. Please generously support the NRS now and into the future. It is only when rosacea sufferers decide to vote with their dollars that our future will be within our control.

davidp.--David Pascoe,