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How To Care For Facial Rosacea

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can affect anyone at any age but appears more often in fair-skinned individuals.

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By CLOE CABRERA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2009

I get lots of calls and e-mails from readers asking for tips to help them take better care of their skin.

Keep 'em coming.

Louise Reda of Tampa recently e-mailed me about her bout with rosacea, a facial skin condition that causes redness and ruddiness, especially around the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead.

Reda says she has occasional flushes of redness mainly in the area around her nose. She was diagnosed with the condition several years ago by a dermatologist, who prescribed a topical antibiotic. It didn't work, she says.

She went for a facial to try to improve the look of her skin, but it was "pure torture."

"I didn't think I had anything that looked like rosacea," Reda says of the diagnosis. "I've had episodes where areas on my skin get flushed, but it's not constant."

Reda wants to know if there's anything she can do to improve her skin's redness.

I took her question to Neil Alan Fenske, USF professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. He also writes for 4you's "Ask The Expert" column.

Fenske says rosacea is a fairly common skin condition that can affect anyone at any age but appears more often in fair-skinned individuals.

A preliminary study published in the Rosacea Review found rosacea in 16 percent of Caucasian women in the United States.

"The genetics aren't clear on rosacea," Fenske says. "For reasons we don't understand, it appears to run in families. Combination therapy is generally used to get rosacea under control."

If you think you have rosacea, he says, you should see a dermatologist so you can rule out lupus, a serious autoimmune disorder that can cause redness over the cheeks and nose.

A dermatologist will typically treat rosacea with a wash containing sulfur/sulfur cetamide and an oral antibiotic.

Although there is no cure for rosacea, Fenske says there are things you can do to minimize the discomfort.

Go easy on your skin: Rosacea can make already-sensitive skin even more so. Stay away from harsh skin care products that contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, benzoil peroxide or glycolic acids. Avoid and steer clear of facials and steam rooms.

Avoid triggers: Avoid spicy food, hot drinks, alcohol, stress and especially the sun, which can trigger symptoms. If you go outside, use a sensitive skin sunblock with the highest SPF you can find. Exercise and moving quickly from hot to cold temperatures are also triggers.

Go for the green: Use skin products and cosmetics designed for sensitive skin. Look for makeup that contains subtle green tints; it can offset the redness of rosacea.

Have a topic worth Hot Pursuit? Contact Cloe Cabrera at (813) 259-7656 or ccabrera@tampatrib.com. Or visit the blog at TBO.com, Keyword: Hot Pursuits.

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