Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that usually starts with a tendency to blush easily, with symptoms appearing as a rash of redness of the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead. Flair ups tend to be sporadic and in severity and are most commonly triggered by diet and environmental factors. Rosacea predominantly affects middle aged and fair skinned people and is more common in women, but more severe in men.

As well as the ‘rash’, rosacea is also characterised by flushing, dilated blood vessels, small red bumps and tiny, pus-filled spots. The skin may become sensitive, hot, stingy and uncomfortable.

Occasionally, the nose may become enlarged due to an overgrowth of the oil-secreting glands on the nose, a condition which is more common in men. Some people also experience an uncomfortable inflammation of the surface of the eyes and eyelids. It is no wonder many sufferers experience low self-esteem, anxiety and even depression as a result.

There are a variety of trigger factors that may make rosacea worse; common culprits are alcohol, exercise, high and low temperatures, spicy foods, hot drinks, stress and natural sunlight. Although there is no proven genetic link, rosacea is reported to run in some families.

Although the cause of rosacea is unknown, some believe bacteria on the skin or in the gut is a factor and in some cases antibiotics have proven a successful treatment.