What is rosacea?

Rosacea, the skin disease that makes you blotchy, red-faced and miserable. It’s not contagious, but it sure can be embarrassing. People look at you like you’ve got a fever or just ran a marathon.

Well don’t worry my friend! I’m here to help explain what rosacea is and how to deal with it in the funniest way possible.

The Basics of Rosacea

Rosacea (\rō-ˈzā-sh(ē-)ə) [noun]: an inflammatory skin disorder characterized by redness on the face, usually concentrated on the nose, cheeks, forehead and chin areas.

This chronic condition can cause flushing episodes (where your face turns redder than a lobster), bumps or pimples that mimic acne outbreaks which appear primarily in middle-aged women but men are prone to it as well.

It’s like having seasonal allergies all year round without any relief!

Types of Rosacea

There are four types of rosacea cases:

Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea

Erythematotelangiectatic (ETR) ro-say-sha [adjective-noun]: now there’s a word for you! This type causes redness on your face due to enlarged blood vessels beneath the surface of your skin.

Symptoms include visible blood vessels along with patchy-colored areas accompanied by itching and burning sensations. You’ve heard people describe “seeing stars,” right? Well if one had stinging flames inside each starburst-like area — THAT’S erythema-to-te-lan-gi-ec-tat-ic roscea for ya’!

Papulopustular Rosaea

Papulopustular (PPR)  ro-say-sha [adjective-noun]: oh man…who needs caffeine when we get tongue-twisters like this! Anyhoo, PPR is similar to ETR in its flare-ups of redness except that it’s more likely to feature acne-like pustules and/or papules (red or pus-filled bumps) on top of a reddening complexion.

Phymatous Rosacea

Phy-ma-tous [fai-muh-tuhs] ro-say-sha [adjective-noun]: also known as “bulbous nose” and linked famously with the late comedian W.C. Fields, can cause thickening of facial skin around nose area which over time leads to disfiguration.

Ocular Rosacea

And finally we have ocular (aw-kyə-lər) ro-say-sha: it attacks your eyes too!

Now THAT’S just plain unfair. These dry red irritated peepers seemingly develop symptoms out-of-the-blue often waking people up at night due to itching sensations along eyelids while making them feel gritty all while being inundated with tears no less–like they need MORE waterlogged issues!

Factors That Trigger Rosacea

There are NO ONE RULES for what causes rosacea but here are some possible triggers:

  • UV ray light
  • Extreme temperature changes – from hot summers ➡ freezing winters before back again
  • Hormonal shifts – pregnancy / menopause 
  • Booze ❤️❤️🍺🥂🍷❤️❤️(water=good; alcohol = bad)
  • Diet – spicy foods especially ones containing capsaicin e.g., jalapeños + chicken wings!
    However, as one who loves these delicious spicy dishes WELL… let’s put a pin in that particular trigger ok? 📌

Coping With Rosacea

Managing rosacea by reducing those factors may lessen symptoms substantially so you’re not feeling self-conscious wondering if people are staring.

Other things to do include:

Using Sun Protection

It’s always important to use sun protective measures like broad-spectrum sunscreen or hats, which help lessen UV ray sensitivity since heat is a common trigger of rosacea outbreaks.

Avoiding Overheated Spaces and Activities

Hot yoga may be the rage but hot temperature changes could worsen your red-face syndrome let’s try near-environmentally controlled studios instead!

Guys, make sure you turn down that shower temp too – I know how much we’d all prefer steaming hot showers

But think about it: ahhh warm OR flaming-neon face? It’s worth considering! 😉

A Cover-up for Rosacea?

Cover-up makeup can assist us with masking our embarrassing flare-ups. But BEWARE as some cosmetics contain irritants that might exacerbate outbreaks thus research recommended brands before purchasing them first beforehand.

There’s even specialized green-tinted foundation creams intended specifically for camouflaging the reddish colorations subsequently around one’s nose and chin.

Ta-da! Comic story time over – now go forth and conquer this skin condition like any other challenge you encounter in everyday life!

Random Posts