What Causes Acne Rosacea – Do Not Be Confused With A Shy Blush

Rosacea is a condition in which the skin of the face, mainly around the cheeks, forehead and nose looks inflamed and red. This redness coupled with pimples is termed as acne rosacea. The exact cause of acne rosacea is still debatable.

What appears as simple flushing of the face is not always so. Rosacea begins with a flush and then gradually spreads around the nose, forehead, neck, ears and chest. Sometimes, the flushing is accompanied by burning sensation and little pustules appear near the skin surface, which appears like acne though it may not be acne itself.

People with fair skins are more vulnerable to rosacea and both the sexes can be affected by it. Again a large percentage of women going through menopause are affected by rosacea, as hot flushes are a common symptom of menopause. People in their late teens, early 20s and those in the 40-50 age group form the bulk of rosacea sufferers.

What causes acne rosacea?

Why acne rosacea affects some people is not very clear and various theories are put forward. Unlike usual acne, acne rosacea is not caused due to overactive sebaceous glands, which clog up pores due to excess oil production. In rosacea, the blood vessels in the face and surrounding areas get overly stimulated causing them to dilate and appear flushed.

The external factors believed to be responsible for rosacea are excess sun, harsh winds, exercise, hot baths. Internal factors, which affect the body from within leading to a flare-up of rosacea, are emotional stress, excitement, alcohol and even overly spicy food.

Again some people’s reaction to emotions of stress, embarrassment, social inadequacy, fear or anxiety gets manifested on their faces. Turning a ‘beetroot red’ is quite common in these situations. Sometimes the inflamed redness may fade away gradually and return on another occasion or it could linger leading to permanent dilated blood vessels.

Another theory put forward by dermatologists is that rosacea is genetically affected and runs in families. People given to blushing easily are more prone to developing rosacea.

The problems with rosacea arise when it becomes chronic and lingers on without letting up. The bumpy pustules that develop with the onset of rosacea harden in time leading to uneven thickened skin, especially around the lower part of the nose. Disfiguration of the nose is sorry fallout of acne rosacea.

Topical treatments with antibiotic creams, steroid based creams help in alleviating the discomfiture of acne rosacea.