“After the first blush of sin comes its indifference”
-Henry David Thoreau
What do Bill Clinton, Cynthia Nixon, Sam Smith, and Cameron Diaz all have in common? The answer is rosacea. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, rosacea is a very common skin disorder that affects over 14 million people in the US alone.
The background
Have you or your friends ever been out at happy hour and someone gets rosy red cheeks after a few cocktails? They might complain of
it being very warm in the roomThis is called “flushing,” a form of inflammation which can be a precursor to rosacea. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the symptoms of rosacea include:
- flushing and redness in the center of the face
- visible broken blood vessels (spider veins)
- swollen skin
- skin may be very sensitive, sting, and burn
- dry skin, roughness, or scaling
- tendency to flush or blush more easily that others
The expert
In order to get a better understanding of what rosacea is and how to deal with it, we contacted dermatologist Dr. Amy Paul and asked her some questions.
Q: What is rosacea?
Dr. Paul: “Rosacea is an autoimmune disorder of the skin that causes vascular sensitivity.”
Q: Who is affected by it?
Dr. Paul: “It can affect any age, but is usually found between the ages of late 20’s-70’s.”
Q: What causes it to flare up?
Dr. Paul: “There are different triggers for different people. Certain spicy foods, the sun, and retinoids can cause inflammation and then rosacea to flare up.”
Q: How do you treat it?
Dr. Paul: “To start, avoid your triggers (foods, etc). I would recommend using a physical-based sunblock with titanium and zinc oxide versus a chemical-based sunscreen because you want the UV rays to bounce off versus absorb into the skin. Next, I would go see a dermatologist as they may prescribe a combination of minocycline and laser treatments depending on the situation.”
Thoughts
Rosacea affects millions of people every day. The best way to deal with the day-to-day effects rosacea brings is to wear physical sun block and avoid triggers that cause flare ups. At the end of the day, if you ever have skin concerns, book an appointment with your local dermatologist. They are there to help and have specialized training to do just that.
To your skin health,
The Reflect Team
Let us help you or someone you know with rosacea. Please take our personalized skin care quiz and see how we might be able to help.