Rosacea Symptoms: What They Are and What Can Make Them Worse

Rosacea is a common but misunderstood condition – it is estimated to affect millions of people worldwide.

It’s incurable, and those who have rosacea often have to undergo an extended treatment regimen, restrictions on what they eat, drink and do — and, in some cases, judgment or jokes from others.

But a growing community and recent statements from high-profile patients show that they are not alone.

Lex Gillies, from York, England, was a 21-year-old student when she was diagnosed with rosacea.

“I didn’t want to do anything that would make people turn around and look at me because I didn’t want people to notice my skin,” she says.

The skin condition, characterized by a reddening of the face caused by dilated blood vessels with small bumps and blemishes, similar to acne, is common.

According to the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, rosacea affects 1.5% to 10% of the populations studied – especially adults between 30 and 50 years of age.

In the UK, some reports suggest that 1 in 10 people have the condition.

Controlling your physical appearance, through treating and managing triggers like alcohol, spicy food, exercise, and even the sun, is one thing. Managing the impact on mental health is another.

Lex, a blogger and ambassador for the British Skin Foundation, spent eight years documenting her relationship with rosacea and says she has learned to understand and accept her skin for what it is, rather than treating it “like my enemy”.

“I saw my rosacea as something I had to fight and overcome, and I felt like my skin was letting me down and betraying me, allowing it to take over,” she says.

“But really, it was my skin desperately trying to alert me to the fact that something was wrong.”

Symptoms

According to the NHS, the UK’s public health system, rosacea is more common in women and people with lighter skin, but symptoms can be worse in men.

Early signs of the condition include:

• Redness (flushing) that comes and goes in the nose, cheeks, forehead and chin;
• Burning or stinging sensation when using water or skin care products.

As rosacea worsens, according to the NHS, patients’ cheeks, nose and forehead are red all the time. And small blood vessels can appear on the skin.

Small pink or red bumps may also appear — sometimes with a yellowish liquid inside.

triggers

It’s not known what causes rosacea, but some triggers can make symptoms worse. Among the most common are:

• Alcohol;
• Spicy foods;
• Cheese;
• Caffeine;
• Hot beverages;
• Aerobic exercises such as running.

_{Source: NHS}

Lex has written extensively about the impact rosacea can have on people’s mental health, saying it’s “still not something that’s taken seriously”.

Her stance has made her an unlikely ally – not for political reasons – of British MP Edward Leigh, who has rosacea and has recently spoken out about the abuse he endures as a result of the condition.

He complained of being called a “red ham head” and a “ruddy-faced clown”.

The lawmaker, who raised the abuse during a debate at Westminster Hall in January, said he had learned to listen to comments on the topic but said he was concerned about the impact on younger generations and the support available to them.

At this point, Lex agrees, and while Edward has been criticized for some of his political views, including recent comments about Ukrainian refugees, she says her appearance shouldn’t fuel provocation.

She had already highlighted that a “cruel joke with a deputy” reflects on others who “take these jokes seriously”.

Janet Doyle, 71, was diagnosed with the condition at age 30 and says she finds it difficult to leave the house some days.

“It’s your face, after all. It’s what people see first,” she says.

“It just makes you feel really bad, like, what’s the point? It can be really depressing. Sometimes I think about not walking out the door.”

Jim Howe, 64, says he also found it difficult to deal with the unwanted attention his appearance can attract.

He said he was sitting outside a bar in Spain when a friend turned to him and said, “You look like an alcoholic.”

“People judge you when you have rosacea, and that can be pretty depressing.”

Nicola Dalby, from Ayrshire, said she first noticed the condition, which affects her cheeks, nose and forehead, in her teens – and that she suffered a few times, fearing she would “never stop having horrible skin”.

But he found comfort and support when talking to others online.

She describes a Facebook community she’s been a part of as a “lifeline” for her over the past few years, offering the opportunity to share experiences and exchange advice, and most importantly, helping her realize she wasn’t “alone.”

Access to professional psychological support for people with skin conditions is something the British Association of Dermatologists says is a “significant issue” with large gaps in certain parts of the UK.

And it says there is “a large body of evidence” demonstrating the impact it can have on a person’s mental health and quality of life.

The British charity Changing Faces offers support to anyone living with a scar, mark or condition on their face or body.

Chief Executive Heather Blake notes that patients’ mental health is often overlooked, with a focus on the physical impact of illness.

According to her, the institution offers support for those who are considering cosmetic procedures and also counseling for those who suffer from mental impact.

“We believe that people have the right to choose how to live their lives with a visible difference,” she says.

“Our role is to refer people to the proper support.”

“And as people with visible differences like rosacea continue to be stared at, (heard) negative comments and worse, we will continue to campaign to challenge the discrimination people face because of their appearance.”

In January, after Representative Edward Leigh raised his concerns about the availability of support, Health Minister Gillian Keegan said the government was “committed to achieving parity between physical and mental health services”.

After 16 years of living with the condition, Lex claims he is no longer at war with his skin, but acknowledges that “many people are still at the beginning of their journey to understand or accept it”.

“My mantra is that your skin doesn’t define you. It’s something you need to maintain, but it’s not who you are. You have rosacea, but it’s not rosacea.”

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