Rosacea 101: Everything Redheads Need To Know

Edited: August 2, 2021

About 164 million people in the United States have rosacea. While it can affect anyone, this skin condition is most common in women (and can be exacerbated during menopause), people with fair skin (like redheads), and adults between 30-60 years of age.

What Does Rosacea Look Like?

Rosacea has many symptoms, including:

1. Redness of the face. Commonly, the flushing and/or persistent redness presents in the center of the face: forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin.
2. There may be a skin burning feeling or swelling of the face.
3. Small red lines under the skin. These lines show up when blood vessels under the skin get larger.
4. Bumps on the skin. Sometimes the bumps have pus inside (pimples), but not always – which may help explain why so many rosacea sufferers think they have acne before being diagnosed by a physician!
5. Inflamed eyes/eyelids. The eyes may become sensitive to light, and, in severe cases, the person may have blurred vision or some other kind of vision problem.
6. A swollen nose. In some people (mostly men), the nose becomes red, larger, and bumpy.

What Causes Rosacea Flare Ups?

Doctors don’t know the exact cause of rosacea. Some doctors think rosacea happens when blood vessels expand too easily. It is also thought that people inherit the likelihood due to genetics.

Some people with rosacea say that one or more of these factors make their rosacea worse:

• Heat (including hot baths)
• Sunlight
• Very cold temperatures
• Hot or spicy foods and drinks
• Drinking alcohol
• Menopause
• Stress
• Certain makeups

Can Rosacea Be Cured?

There is no cure for rosacea, but it can be treated! Visit a dermatologist today to ask if any of these treatments may be right for you.

Rock it like a Redhead!