W.C. Fieldss best-remembered feature is his bulbous red nose. He suffered with rosacea (rose-A-sheuh) as do 13 million Americans today. If you notice you blush more frequently or easily, it could be the first sign of the disease.

What is Rosacea?

Because changes are so subtle, many are unaware they have a problem. Many people mistake rosacea for acne, an allergy, or sunburn. It usually first appears in people between the ages of 30 and 60. Women are more often affected by a mild to moderate rosacea than men, but it is often more severe when it strikes men.

Although rosacea can develop in people of any skin color, it is seen more frequently in people with fair skin and hair. A tendency to develop rosacea may be inherited; often, several people in a family have it. However, anyone can get rosacea.

What Are The Symptoms?

Rosacea will progress and worsen over time, if left untreated. Symptoms of the earliest stage include frequent episodes of flushing and redness of the face and neck that wax and wane. As rosacea progresses, blood vessels under the skin become dilated, causing a flushing and redness.

Thin red lines that look like a road map may also appear as the small blood vessels of the face get larger and show through the skin. The skin may also look swollen and feel warm. Some people, progress to inflammatory rosacea, developing pink bumps and pimples. In a few men with rosacea, a condition called rhinophyma develops.

This type of rosacea is characterized by an enlarged, bulbous red nose. Both the oil-producing glands of the nose enlarge, and thick, knobby bumps may develop. In addition to the face, rosacea can involve the eyes and eyelids. Some people may have more than one feature of rosacea at a time.

What Causes It?

Many things can trigger rosacea, but do not cause it. For example, drinking alcohol can increase flushing and redness. Other factors known to aggravate rosacea include exposure to the sun, stress, spicy foods, exercise, cold wind, hot foods, and hot baths, and any other things that would normally make you blush. What causes a flare-up in one person may not cause a problem in another.

Medical Records Checklist: Rosacea

If you have rosacea, be sure to keep the following information in your medical records:

Name and address of your primary doctor and specialist. Previous medical and surgical history. ·Date of your last visit to your doctor. Results of any tests and your physical examination. Treatment plan and/or recommendations. Date of your next appointment, or when you need to schedule another examination. Factors that seem to trigger flare-ups. Use your online health record to record the dates of your flare-ups and possible triggers. Take this with you to your next doctors visit.

Doctors do not know the exact cause of rosacea, but it is thought that a combination of genetics and environmental factors are related to its development. Some believe that rosacea is a disorder of the blood vessels, in which something causes blood vessels to swell, resulting in flushing and redness.

Others believe that mites, living in sebaceous glands clog the openings, leading to inflammation. There might also be a possible link between rosacea and Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that causes infection in the gastrointestinal system.

How Is It Treated?

While rosacea cannot be cured, it can be treated and controlled, especially in terms of appearance. Treatment, when started early, can prevent blood vessels from enlarging, and especially the scarring seen in advanced cases.

Antibiotics, topical for milder cases or oral for more severe cases, are used keep flushing and pimples under control. Some people respond quickly, while others require long-term therapy.

Lasers are being used to treat enlarged blood vessels, with little scarring. For patients with rhinophyma, surgery may help to reduce and reshape the size of the nose and improve appearance.

What Can I Do?

The role you play in managing your rosacea is just as important as your doctors. You can take several steps to keep rosacea under control.