8 things to know if you’re diagnosed with rosacea

If you’re diagnosed with rosacea, there’s a lot you can do to relieve your discomfort and prevent flare-ups.

Were you recently diagnosed with rosacea? If so, you may be wondering what to do next. Here are 8 tips that dermatologist give their patients with rosacea to help them control the condition and feel more comfortable.

1. Pay attention to your eyes. If you do nothing else, do this! You want to watch for signs of irritated or red eyes. If you notice any irritation or other eye problems, call your dermatologist or eye doctor right away.
   This is important because more than half the people who have rosacea develop an eye problem at some point. Treating eye problems caused by rosacea can prevent you from developing problems with your eyesight.
2. Learn what triggers your rosacea. Many everyday occurrences, such as becoming overheated or feeling stressed, can cause rosacea to flare. Anything that causes rosacea to flare is called a trigger.
   While there are many rosacea triggers, what triggers one person’s rosacea may not be a trigger for you. It’s important to learn what triggers your rosacea. Avoiding your triggers can help you avoid flare-ups.
   You’ll find a step-by-step guide that can help you discover your triggers at: Triggers could be causing your rosacea flare-ups
3. Be gentle with your skin. Rosacea can make your skin extremely sensitive. Your skin can feel uncomfortable if you wash your face with a washcloth, use skin care products that contain fragrance or astringents, or even go outdoors without applying a sunscreen.
   You can find out how to care for your rosacea-prone skin at: 6 rosacea skin care tips dermatologists give their patients
4. Protect your skin from the sun. Just a few minutes in the sun can cause your rosacea to flare. Protecting your skin from the sun can prevent these flare-ups. You can learn how to protect your skin from the sun at: How to prevent rosacea flare-ups
5. Select your makeup carefully. Sometimes, makeup can cause rosacea to flare. You can find out how to choose rosacea friendly makeup at: How to prevent rosacea flare-ups. Scroll down to “Use rosacea friendly makeup.”
6. Understand that flare-ups can happen and are often unexpected. Even when you treat your rosacea and do everything you can to avoid your triggers, rosacea can flare unexpectedly.
   A flare-up tends to be more manageable when you keep calm (stress can be a trigger) and follow your dermatologist’s advice for treating a flare-up.
7. Team up with a board-certified dermatologist to treat your rosacea. Treating rosacea can prevent it from worsening. Treatment can also help calm a flare-up.
   By seeing a board-certified dermatologist about your rosacea, you can receive expert care. When a dermatologist is board-certified, you’ll see the letters FAAD after the doctor’s name.
8. Jot down questions to ask during your next dermatology appointment. Between appointments, questions about rosacea may come to mind. If they do, jot them down so that you can ask them during your next dermatology appointment.
   The more expert advice you have, the better you’ll be able to manage your rosacea.

A board-certified dermatologist is a rosacea expert

Rosacea is one of the most common conditions that dermatologists treat.

When you see a board-certified dermatologist, you know you’re seeing a doctor who has received specialized training in how to diagnose and treat rosacea.

Board-certified dermatologists are also the scientists who conduct many of the studies that help us learn more about this condition.

You can find a board-certified dermatologist by going to: Find a dermatologist

Additional related information

• 6 rosacea skin care tips dermatologists give their patients
• Do you have to treat rosacea?

Image: Getty Images

References
Crawford GH, Pelle MT, et al. “Rosacea: I. Etiology, pathogenesis, and subtype classification.” J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;51:327-41.)

Pelle MT. “Rosacea.” In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine (seventh edition). McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008: 703-9.

Pelle MT, Glen H. Crawford GH, et al. “Rosacea: II. Therapy.” J Am Acad Dermatol 2004;51:499-512.

Zip C. “The role of skin care in optimizing treatment of acne and rosacea.” Skin Therapy Lett. 2017;22(3):5-7.