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The Four Stages of Rosacea

There is no cause of rosacea, but scientists are quickly discovering more and more about this disfiguring condition. When caught early, rosacea remains a mild case. If untreated, however, rosacea can turn into a condition known as rhinophyma, a permanent swelling of the tissue around the nose that leads to permanent disfigurement.

Rosacea comes in four types or stages: Pre-Rosacea, Mild, Moderate, and Severe. With all cases of rosacea, the skin will have an appearance of being like acne, though it really is not.

The National Rosacea Society classifies rosacea into four "sub-types". The first, Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea, is a mild form in which the face, especially the forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks, develop a bright red appearance. These bright red patches are usually more noticeable after an alcoholic drink, heavy workout, stressful situation, or spicy meal.

The second sub-type, Papulopustular Rosacea, is just as is sounds: redness with transient papules or pustules. This is the type which coined the term "adult acne" as is looks like acne vulgaris. Some clients have mistaken it for acne and have aggravated the problem by treating it like acne; drying it out or exfoliating. The absence of blackheads along with possible burning and stinging sensations prove it to be Rosacea.

The third, Phymatous Rosacea, is an extreme form of Rosacea. It is most devastating, as it includes the thickening of the skin, irregular surface texture, and deformation of the face. Rhinophyma (bulbous nose) is the most common expression of Phymatous Rosacea, but it may occur in other locations like the chin, forehead, cheeks, and ears.

Finally, Ocular Rosacea symptoms include: watery or bloodshot appearance, foreign body sensations, burning, stinging, dryness, itchiness, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, irritation of the skin on the eye lids and irregularity of the eyelid margins. There may also be and experience of styes, dry, itchy eyes, and occasionally the appearance of pink eye.

Due to the strong link with Celtic ancestries, most rosacea sufferers have pale, sensitive skin. For this very reason it is critical to use a strong sunscreen or wear a wide brimmed hat. The sun can damage the skin and possibly lead to skin cancer down the road. A natural sun screen using minerals like titanium or zinc as the block is preferable for genetically sensitive skin as the chemical sunscreen may irritate skin, reduce skin's own skin immunity + usually these chemical sunscreens need to be reapplied every 60-90 minutes.

Though there is no cure, many doctors recommend their patients cut all alcohol, avoid spicy foods, take Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements, and use non-perfumed, hypo-allergenic facial products. A rosacea diet, decent skin care routine, and using anti-rosacea products that help soothe the skin instead of irritating it are the best forms of defense. Until a cause of rosacea is determined, there really is no way to get rid of the disease, but keeping the symptoms to a minimum helps improve your appearance, self esteem, and prevents rhinophyma from developing in the decades to come.

About the Author

Battling Rosacea? Over 14 Million in the U.S. do. Find out more and Get real tips and skin care help to allow you to win the fight against Rosacea. Visit RosaceaTreatmentRx.com and check out articles such as Products for rosacea

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