Rosacea is a skin disorder which effects approximately 50 million people worldwide. It manifests disproportionately  in white European women ages 30-50, but it can also effect any one of any race or age, including young children and babies, and both men and women. Despite the widespread nature of this skin disorder, most people are unaware of it and certainly not educated on recognizing its effects on the skin.

Speaking of which, what are the symptoms of rosacea?

• A burning or stinging sensation in the cheeks, forehead, or nose.
• A persistent flushing of the skin on the face, making the skin appear red with no probably cause.
• The eyes often feel watery or itchy for no discernible reason. They may often appear bloodshot.
• The skin has a number of small bumps or pimples, similar looking to straight up acne but technically a different set of symptoms.
• The blood vessels under the surface of the skin are swollen and are visible on the skin of the face.

While one or more of these issues typically warrants a diagnosis of rosacea from a dermatologists, these symptoms must not all be there for rosacea to be present.  These are the top five most common symptoms, but this skin disorder will effect different people differently.

When the symptoms are let untreated, rosacea can become dramatically noticeable on the persons face. The bumps and pimples, technically called papules and pastules, can misshapen the nose, creating a bulb-like appearance. This “look” is something commonly seen on elderly males who did not seek proper care or treatment  for rosacea.

Treatment for this skin disorder is not a one time deal. It typically consists of understanding what flares up the problem, avoiding those behaviors (such as prolonged exposure to the sun), and of course, working with different medicines (including prescription as well as over the counter medication) to find what works best with the individual. Treatment is often a lifelong affair to keep the symptoms under control.

If you read the list of symptoms above and suspect you may be developing rosacea skin disorder, seek help from a dermatologist. Being that 1 out of every 5 diagnosis made by a dermatologist is for this problem, they will surely be well versed in the treatment options to control your rosacea symptoms.

There is no reason to wait in hoping that the problem will magically go away - in fact, it could only make things work.