Early diagnosis of any condition is preferable because it gives you a headstart on effective treatment.
Rosacea falls into this category. This chronic skin condition has hard-to-ignore symptoms that can cause your self-confidence to plummet.
Fortunately, our knowledgeable and caring team at Z-ROC Dermatology are experts at diagnosing and treating rosacea. Since April is National Rosacea Month, we want to give you a heads-up about rosacea’s earliest symptoms and why you should pay attention and seek treatment.
Patients often come to us after noticing just one or two telltale rosacea symptoms, but if you don’t know what to look for, you’ll not likely seek treatment.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, take the time to check in with your Z-Roc Dermatology provider and come in for an exam.
Skin flushing and reddening are early signs of rosacea. After a while, the redness may linger. Your skin tone also impacts how the rosacea looks — if you’re fair, your skin may look redder, and if you have darker skin, the flushing may give it a more purple appearance.
You might think you have acne, but at the beginning of rosacea, pimple-like pus-filled skin eruptions develop as well. You may also develop them on your back or shoulders and your face.
Enlarging blood vessels on your cheeks and nose is another hallmark of rosacea.
This early symptom isn’t visible, but you’ll feel it. If your affected skin feels hot and hypersensitive, it could be the beginning of rosacea.
Sometimes, a symptom that precedes rosacea-related skin issues is eye irritation in the form of dry, irritated, and inflamed eyes and/or eyelids, though it can happen either at the same time skin symptoms occur or after.
You might also notice eye redness and a stinging sensation in your eyes.
Although these can be early symptoms of rosacea, other symptoms can emerge, especially if rosacea goes untreated. One of these is a thickening of the skin, often on the nose but sometimes on the ears, chin, and forehead as well.
Unfortunately, rosacea is a condition whose obvious symptoms can severely affect patients’ self-esteem. Surveys conducted by the National Rosacea Society found that 90% of patients living with rosacea suffered from decreased self-confidence, while 52% avoided social interactions because of their condition.
One important way to manage your rosacea is to talk with our team about things that can trigger flare-ups, like sudden changes in temperature, natural elements like wind and sun, spicy foods, and hot beverages.
We also advise you to avoid topical steroids since they can trigger rosacea.
Stress also stimulates rosacea, so learning to manage it effectively can be key to controlling flares.
Your Z-ROC Dermatology provider can also offer you effective treatments for rosacea that can soothe your skin, tone it down, and relieve your symptoms.
We may recommend specially formulated skin products like cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, vasoconstrictors (topical medications that ease redness), topical antibiotics, retinoid products, and azelaic acid (which reduces redness and helps treat pustules). We may also prescribe a low-dose antibiotic.
We also offer innovative IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment with the Cynosure/Palomar Icon platform.
If you suspect that you may be experiencing early signs of rosacea, don’t delay. Call Z-Roc’s conveniently located Fort Lauderdale office at 954-564-0040 or contact us online through our website.
