Healthy Habits: Rosacea

On behalf of the National Rosacea Society and Galderma Laboratories, L.P. I had an opportunity to help raise awareness on the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of rosacea. As part of Rosacea Awareness Month, award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon (best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in HBO's celebrated series, Sex and the City) is starring in an online public service announcement that shines the spotlight on this little-known skin condition.

Curious about rosacea? Here are a few things Cynthia wants rosacea sufferers to know:

·         Rosacea can be triggered by certain foods, drinks and activities. Cynthia has modified her diet and daily routine to help manage her rosacea.

·         Cynthia started noticing that something was going on with her skin in her early forties, and found out it was rosacea from her dermatologist.  Rosacea tends to appear after age 30 and because of its chronic nature, it can last a lifetime.

·         Rosacea can be difficult to recognize and is often mistaken for acne, but unlike acne, it is not believed that bacteria is involved.

·         While there is no cure for rosacea and the cause is unknown, it can be treated and managed with the help of a dermatologist.

You can learn more about rosacea here:

·         Take the self-screening quiz and connect with a dermatologist in your area by visiting www.rosaceafacts.com.

·         Call 1-888-NO-BLUSH for more information about rosacea.

I had the opportunity to interview Cynthia as well about her experiences:

1.   What exactly is rosacea?
Rosacea is a vascular condition that causes flushing and blushing and even red bumps and pimples on the face. It typically appears in women after the age of 30. While this may sound like I am describing acne, it’s actually totally different.  Acne is caused by bacteria, while rosacea is caused by inflammation, and the two conditions are treated by a dermatologist separately. There is a great website that can provide more information about the condition and the different types, which is RosaceaFacts.com. The site also has a great self-screening quiz to help someone determine if they have rosacea.

2.   How did you first notice something was wrong?
I noticed something was going on with my skin in my 30s and I thought it was acne coming back to haunt me from my teenage years. I would notice persistent redness, flushing and pimples, and tried cleansers and scrubs to treat what I thought of as acne but it didn’t improve.  I finally went to my dermatologist for an unrelated matter, and she said I have rosacea. Now I know, all of those harsh cleansers and scrubs were only aggravating my rosacea, and if I would have known sooner, I could have saved a lot of time and energy by treating the correct issue with the help of my dermatologist.

3.   What are some things that can trigger rosacea?
Triggers that can cause a person’s rosacea to flare are very individual, but some of the most common triggers are sun, spicy food, red wine and exercise. It’s kind of a matter of tracking your own personal reactions to foods, temperature, emotions and drinks to figure out what your triggers are. For some people, keeping a diary of what they did before a flare-up occurred, helped identify what triggered the flare-up.

4.   What are some of the treatment possibilities?A rosacea treatment plan is very individual and best determined by a dermatologist. There is a dermatology finder tool on RosaceaFacts.com to help find a local dermatologist.

5.   What tips do you have for someone who has been recently diagnosed with rosacea?Help raise awareness, now that you know that what has been going on with your skin is rosacea, talk to others about it and urge them to visit a dermatologist for proper diagnosis. Also, it is very important to identify your personal triggers so you can avoid these things.