Rosacea risk checklist

You may be at risk for rosacea if you checked several of the risk factors listed on the index page.

1. Rosacea usually first strikes after age 30. A National Rosacea Society survey found that 44% of sufferers developed the disease when they were first in their 30s and 40s, and 43% were first stricken after age 50. Any 13% experienced the disease before they reached their 30th birthday.
2. Rosacea seems to appear most frequently in individuals who tend to flush or blush easily. There is evidence linking flushing to the development of rosacea, and various factors that cause flushing trigger rosacea flare-ups in many sufferers.
3. Redness that lasts unusually long after a blush or flush can indicate a tendency toward rosacea. The areas affected by the redness are usually the cheeks, chin, nose, or forehead.
4. Rosacea seems to be more common and noticeable in people with fair skin, although it may also affect individuals with darker complexions.
5. Standard acne medications often can irritate the skin of rosacea sufferers. If acne remedies make your condition worse instead of better, see a dermatologist for a diagnosis and appropriate therapy. If you have rosacea, prescription medication is required.
6. While rosacea affects all segments of the population, a National Rosacea Society survey indicated it is particularly common in Americans of these national heritages. The disease is so widespread among the Irish that it has been dubbed the "Curse of the Celts."
7. A tendency toward rosacea may be inherited. In one study, more than a third of rosacea sufferers could identify relatives who had similar symptoms.
8. The first sign of rosacea is usually a redness on the face that comes and goes. As the condition progresses, the redness becomes more permanent and ruddier.
9. In many rosacea sufferers, small dilated blood vessels become visible in the affected areas. These can now be corrected with laser surgery.
10. In some rosacea victims, the eyes feel gritty and become bloodshot as the disease grows increasingly severe. This condition is known as ocular rosacea.
11. Many sufferers report that others falsely assume that rosacea symptoms such as a red nose, flushed face or bloodshot eyes are due to heavy drinking. In actuality, while alcohol may aggravate the condition, the symptoms can be just as severe in a teetotaler.
12. In inflammation of rosacea typically results in acne-like bumps and pimples, which standard acne medications can often make worse. The best approach is to see your dermatologist for diagnosis and appropriate medical therapy that can halt the progression of rosacea and reverse its effects.