Is this Rosacea?

[stb09]

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00051.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00031.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00052.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00001.jpg

I'm trying to figure out if I have Rosacea or just a ruddy complexion from being partly Irish, and very fair-skinned. I don't have many of the symptoms, just a persistent redness around the bridge of my nose and cheeks. I blush a bit when I drink, or sweat/exercise, but my skin is not overly sensitive, and never "feels hot."

No one has ever commented on my complexion, and when being treated for acne a year ago, my dermatologist never mentioned anything about Rosacea. A second dermatologist I went to for treatment of a cyst on my face said something about my "ruddy complexion" and said that "I might be a cadidate for Rosacea later in life." (though it should be noted I had a sunburn at the time.)

As you can tell from my post in the newbies section, I've read a lot about the condition, and most information seems to state that anyone with any redness in the face at all that's permanent is suffering from Rosacea in one form or another. Whereas other places will tell me that certain nationalities just have a bit of redness in the complexion.

[IowaDavid]

Does your face hurt, burn, or sting when you "flush"?

Can you post a photo without the white-out of a digicam flash? Or, were those taken without a flash?

I've got to say you look just fine, man. Ruddiness doesn't necessarily lead to rosacea--you need a propensity to flush and an inability to handle that flushing (which separates us from the facial blushing folks that get very red, but, it doesn't degrade into rosacea).

No harm in reading though. :D

[stb09]

I'll post some tomorrow without the flash.

My face doesn't "burn" in the sense that it becomes uncomfortable, as I can never feel anything going on, but sometimes it does feel warm to the touch. But that might be normal.

[Bob Bear]

While I cant see much in the photos, your description does sounds very much like early stage rosacea. I presented with the exact same symptoms myself.

Thing is, at such an early stage it is very difficult to know whether it will progress to much. You mention that when you flush to alcohol or exercise that you face does not become hot, and that is certainly a good sign.

BB

[stb09]

Well, it gets warm, in the sense that it feels warmer to the touch, almost like I might have a mild fever.

But I can't notice that feeling unless I touch my hand to my face. What exactly does "hot" mean in this case?

[stb09]

Here are unflashed photos -

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00053.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00054.jpg

And more flashed -

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00059.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/CopyofDSC00059.jpg


I posted one sideways, because for whatever reason, it seems to make things more apparent.



Here are a couple taken back in May with a much higher quality camera.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/Imag___40_105.jpg

This is not how I normally look, I think. I must have been out in the sun all day, or possibly drinking.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/Image-F3B14AA811B711DB.jpg

That's slightly more accurate.

[Miki]

if you flush often to various stimuli then i would say you have rosacea otherwise your face looks fine.

[Twickle Purple]

You certainly have the fair colouring for it. The problem when taking pictures is that alot of times what you see in the mirror is not coming across in the pictures. Lighting is the thing.

I do see that you have flush areas across your nose and from cheek bone to jaw line in some pictures. I would assume you have it, and take the care needed to not get worse.

Good luck!
Twickle Purple

[stb09]

Well, what am I supposed to do now?

As I said, when I was being treated for acne my dermatologist never said a thing about Rosacea, and I noticed my skin started getting red in the areas it's currently red in after I started taking Accutane.

I was told a lot of people get redness in the face as a result of Accutane, and that sometimes it persists after the medication is finished. (I stopped taking it a year ago.)

I'm still experiencing hair loss as a result of the Accutane as well.


My last visit to a dermatologist was this past September, and he told me I had a ruddy complexion, and might be a candidate for Rosacea later in life. As far as I understand it, some dermatologists simply diagnose anything red on the face as Rosacea, and some won't diagnose it unless papules and pustules are present. I don't have insurance, and I'm a full time student with little to no income. I certainly don't have the time or money to go to 37 dermatologists to get something properly diagnosed, that apparently is misdiagnosed constantly.

What steps am I supposed to take?

My face really only "flushes" when I drink, or exercise, or if it's really hot out. I can't avoid going outside in the heat, that leaves me 6 months a year to set foot outside. I can't stop exercising either.

I'm really not sure about all this. As I said, there's a HUGE number of people who I spot red in the face when they've been drinking, and on a hot summer day like today, 8/10 people is a bit red in the face. Do all these people have Rosacea too?

[Miki]

if you get red in the face when you exercise, drink, go in the sun etc.... and you notice that the redness(flush) is rather excessive and does not want to quickly subside then its quite possible you have rosacea. like i said in the picture your face looks fine but it all depends on the degree and severity of your flush which is the most important.

in my case if was to take a picture of myself right know i would look very much like your yourslef. the thing that most people don t see is the excessive flushing my face goes through when exposed to various stimuli. also in my case flushing tends to aggrevate( small pimples, dryeness, red blotchy appearance which can all last a few hours or a couple of days)

everyones rosacea seems to be different but flushing for the most part seems to be at the heart of the disorder.

[stb09]

I will try to post a picture of my face flushing then. It does not seem to last very long, in my opinion. Once the source is removed, the redness subsides, typically.

[Penguin]

A lot of people can be very rosy without having rosacea. Actually the two ladies in the picture with you look just as red, do you know if either of them has rosacea? But I don't blame you for asking, most of us started with flushing, usually to alcohol or heat.

[stb09]

That's what I'm trying to figure out. How can I tell if I just have a rosy complexion or if I have Rosacea?

Here are some unflashed pictures in natural light with what my face as "flushed" as it gets, I just got done exercising.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00172.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00171.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00179.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00178.jpg


This is really as red as I get.. I will add it seems to look a bit LESS red in the pictures, and more red in certain lights.

[stb09]

I should add this "flush" lasts for about two hours or so and my face feels warm to the touch, though there's no discomfort whatsoever.

[stb09]

And I have no idea if the "flush" in those pictures is "excessive" or not.

[Miki]

if you say you flush and it lasts for a couple of hours then it might be a mild case at this point. you should try to find out what triggers your flushing. do any of your family members have rosacea?

[stb09]

Not that I'm aware of. My mother's dead, and I don't have any contact with my father. No siblings, either.

Only triggered by sweating due to hot weather, or exercise, or strenuous actiivity.

And drinking.

[stb09]

Well, let me clarify.

I have met my father a couple of times, and his two siblings. My father and his brother are both really, ruddy in complexion. Not what I'd describe as "Rosacea" but more the look of people who probably had really fair skin in their youth and just spent entirely too much time outside. (My father has been working outside for 30 years)

His sister, and mother both don't look quite as red, but.. pretty much normal. As for my mother? She died when I was 15, about 8 years ago, and I don't remember her having much of a problem with her skin. She wasn't that fair-skinned and tanned well. Same with her two brothers and two sisters.

I can't speak on my grandfathers, they died when I was 4 and 6 respectively.


Several things are bothering me about all of this. First and foremost, I only began noticing any sort of "ruddiness" to my complexion until I started taking Accutane. I frequent the message boards over at www.acne.org quite a bit, and posted much of my experience while on Accutane there. Quite a large number of people reported noticing a similar reddining of the face while on Accutane, and even for upwards of 6-12 months after stopping the medication.

It has now been about 13 months since I stopped taking the medication, but many of the more noticable side effects persist. My hair continues shedding at an abnormal rate, common to people experiencing a bout of Telogen Effluvium, which can result from a large dose of Accutane. I wonder too if the redness in my face is also a product of the Accutane.

In spite of the hundreds of people on that forum who will comment that they have a redness to the face after taking Accutane, none of them seem to think it could be Rosacea, and if you try searching Google for "redness and Accutane" you'll only find that Accutane has sometimes been used to TREAT Rosacea, not cause Rosacea-like symptoms.

As I've stated numerous times, I saw my Dermatologist quite frequently while I was taking the medication, and even complained of how I noticed my face seemed redder than usual. He never once mentioned "Rosacea" and although I was aware of the condition, I had no idea it could include such mild versions as a simple permanent rosy color to the cheeks.

When I went to a Dermatologist back in September due to a hyperpigmentation spot on my nose, he simply said that it would heal in time and seemed more noticable because my complexion was ruddy, and that I might be a candidate for Rosacea later in life.

I really think that if I did have Rosacea, one of these two doctors would have asked me if I flush commonly, or suggested I keep an eye out for it.

Continuing on, I've done a bit of research on this, and perused the forums over at

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Dermatology/wwwboard.html

This Dermatologist receives quite a few hundred questions about people wondering if they are suffering from Rosacea, and has mentioned in a great many of his replies that he won't diagnose anyone with Rosacea that doesn't exhibit papules and pustules. Anything else, he describes as a "ruddy complexion." I've read several other articles on the internet posted by dermatologists about similar confusion between an actual condition, and simply a redness to the complexion. However, doing any searches for "ruddy complexion" merely gives 3,000 hits about Rosacea sufferers.

I would really like to know if it is indeed possible simply to have a ruddy complexion without having Rosacea. I'm fairly certain that I've had some degree of redness in my face my whole life, and since becoming almost obsessed with this "condition" I've been noticing a ridiculous number of people that have some redness in the face. Children, babies, half the continent of Australia, most of Canada, almost every one that's a farmer, or any of the professions that require one to be outdoors. All of these people can't possibly be suffering from Rosacea.

And in all of my lookings at photographs of Rosacea sufferers, they're all considerably more noticable, red in color, blotchy and patchy that the subtle pinkness to my skin, and the slightly more noticable pinkness when I'm exerting effort or drinking.

So I suppose I'm going to shell out $80 to ask the local dermatologist if what I have is Rosacea, but as I've stated, the medical profession can't seem to agree on what constitutes Rosacea, and it's quite possible he'll just tell me again that my complexion is ruddy, and maybe I'll get Rosacea later in life.

[IowaDavid]

This Dermatologist receives quite a few hundred questions about people wondering if they are suffering from Rosacea, and has mentioned in a great many of his replies that he won't diagnose anyone with Rosacea that doesn't exhibit papules and pustules.


That doctor is absolute trash.

Yes, you can have a ruddy complexion without rosacea; it's that vascular failure to cope with flushing that leads to rosacea. Derms are horribly undereducated, by and large, regarding rosacea.

Having a warm face might be an early mild-stage symptom. Accutane, when used at levels for acne, does tend to make one's face red. If you are genetically inclined to rosacea, it might set it off. I don't know that much about Accutane, though.

Have you checked out the ESFB channel board?

[stb09]

Then how does one diagnose a vascular deficiency? Because someone flushes? Or flushes too long?

And no, I'm not familiar with the site you're referring to.

[Miki]

Then how does one diagnose a vascular deficiency? Because someone flushes? Or flushes too long?

And no, I'm not familiar with the site you're referring to.


flushing is the heart of rosacea. my doc diagnosed me with rosacea based on flushing alone. i guess most people flush to a certain extent but a rosacean seems to flush to more triggers and the flush tends to be more severe and can persist for more than just a few minutes(ie; 30 min to 1 hour). BTW i was on a large dose of accutane as well a couple of years back to treat acne but it did not cause my rosacea but in your case it might have aggravated something.

[stb09]

Well, in looking at my photos of what I'd consider a "flush" the redness in my face is not that much more than the general redness that's normally there. I don't know if that's considered to be an "extreme" flush or not.

[Miki]

Well, in looking at my photos of what I'd consider a "flush" the redness in my face is not that much more than the general redness that's normally there. I don't know if that's considered to be an "extreme" flush or not.


if thats your strongest flush then your face seems okay to me.

[stb09]

So if I don't technically have Rosacea at the moment, am I currently predisposed? I've never liked the redness in my skin tone, and I've been wanting to tan a bit to mask it, as I personally think redness is less obvious on darker skin.

... but sun exposure apparently can trigger Rosacea.

[Miki]

sun exposure/sun burn can trigger rosacea but only in people who are gentically predisposed. i know plenty of people who work in the sun all day yet they dont have even the slightest symptom of rosacea, they just dont have the genetic predisposition. for instance my friend has a genetic predisposition for baldness and he also takes pills for a medical condition which accelerate his hair loss but if i was to take those same pills at twice or three times the dosage i would probably not even lose a hair because all the men in my family have full heads of hair. same thing for rosacea, its in the genes and if you aggravate it, it could come out.

on the other hand everyones rosacea and they way they developed it always seem to be different. in my case my mom has it and she passed it on to me. both mine and her symptoms seem to be almost identical.

[IowaDavid]

So if I don't technically have Rosacea at the moment, am I currently predisposed? I've never liked the redness in my skin tone, and I've been wanting to tan a bit to mask it, as I personally think redness is less obvious on darker skin.

... but sun exposure apparently can trigger Rosacea.


Dude, you can have a ruddy complexion without rosacea. My very close friend, who has Scottish blood, has "color" in his cheeks, but he doesn't experience pain or burning or prolonged redness.

When it begins to become not a cosmetic, but a physical (sensation) problem, then you might want to be very careful.

Honestly, your skin looks fine in the photos you've posted. You may be pre-rosacea; you may also just have that complexion.

Keep an eye on it--it may just be your skin tone. :) If you start getting pain, burning, etc. in relatively benign environments--then you might have rosacea.

We're all here if indeed you do have pre-rosacea. You've got a wealth of information in the members here and at the other rosacea boards.


Here you go for the flushing/blushing forum: http://www.esfbchannel.com/forum/index.html . :D

[clsykes00]

When it begins to become not a cosmetic, but a physical (sensation) problem, then you might want to be very careful.

Honestly, your skin looks fine in the photos you've posted. You may be pre-rosacea; you may also just have that complexion.

Keep an eye on it--it may just be your skin tone. :) If you start getting pain, burning, etc. in relatively benign environments--then you might have rosacea.


I would not say that neuro indications are pre-requisites for rosacea by any means. Many rosaceans have P&P, "broken" blood vessels, seb hyp, etc without feeling any neuro responses.

STB, a good start for you may be to look at your family and determine whether any have rosacea symptoms. Several theories about rosacea development exists, but most link to genetics. You appear to be in the early stages of development if at all, and looking at your family may help you determine a disposition. However, as a caveat, reviewing your family's condition won't necessarily tell you for sure, but should at least provide additional clues to your questions.

Best,
Trey

[stb09]

This is why I don't want to pay money to go to a dermatologist for a diagnosis. In this very thread, I've been told I have mild Rosacea, nothing at all, pre-Rosacea, possibly Rosacea...

And I'm fairly certain that even dermatologists are in as much disagreement, and I could probably receive just as many conflicting answers from one.

I simply need a straight answer so I can act accordingly. If I have it, I want to get it treated. If I don't, I want to know that I can stop obsessing about it.

[clsykes00]

This is why I don't want to pay money to go to a dermatologist for a diagnosis. In this very thread, I've been told I have mild Rosacea, nothing at all, pre-Rosacea, possibly Rosacea...

And I'm fairly certain that even dermatologists are in as much disagreement, and I could probably receive just as many conflicting answers from one.

I simply need a straight answer so I can act accordingly. If I have it, I want to get it treated. If I don't, I want to know that I can stop obsessing about it.

STB,
Unfortunately, you are going through a process right now that the rest of us are currently going through or have gone through. I understand the level of frustration. Suffice to say however, your skin looks healthy right now, whether pre-rosacea, mild rosacea, or no rosacea at all. I would look for genetic predispositions by looking at older members of your family (broken blood vessels, persistent redness, P&P, etc.). At this point, I would not "freak out." I would just avoid "shocks" to your skin - sunburns, steroids, 100 degree F plus heat, 32 degree F cold, etc. - that you should likely avoid or limit in normal day life looking out for your general health. If you see progressive rosacea in your family, seek a derm that will be willing to work with you on preventative treatments or better yet, pick up Dr Nase's book. (which will give you good soaps and sunscreens to use).

Best,
Trey

[stb09]

As I've stated, I see no signs of Rosacea in elder family members whatsoever. The only thing remotely resembling what I have, are my father and his only brother, and as I said, they have very "ruddy" complexions.

My father has excessive sun damage, and has had skin cancer, his face is almost always red, but it does not appear to be a "flush" in certain areas, so much as it is just.. continual redness.

[Penguin]

I'd just try a self-tanner on your face to hide any sort of redness, that way you can use lots of sunblock and still be "tanned". There's no harm in protecting youself from the sun now anyway pre-rosacea or not...you'll be glad you did later in life either way.

Penguin

[Daisy]

It doesn't look like you have anything to worry about. You just have rosy cheeks..I don't know what a ruddy complexion is but lots of people have more of a glow (rosy complexion). It's not necessarily Rosacea I think.

[Twickle Purple]

stb09, You have received some very good advice here. Now you need to determine the rest. If you think you are predisposed, clsykes00 (Trey) has given you a roadmap of what perils to avoid. You've got fair skin and blue eyes and you should look at your father to see what can occur. But you are armed with knowledge and a desire for healthy skin. That's good.

Twickle Purple.

[stb09]

I'm not sure if I'm pre-disposed. I don't know if what I have is pre-Rosacea, or simply a ruddy complexion. Apparently, some say you can have a ruddy complexion without having Rosacea, and others say that anyone with a ruddy complexion has pre-Rosacea.

I mean, I was taking a look at some of the posts in the other forum where people are discussing which celebrities they think might have Rosacea, and they're posting pictures of everyone who has the slightest bit of color on the cheek. If that's Rosacea or "pre-Rosacea" then I guess by those definitions I have it pretty bad.

But if it's normal to have some color in the complexion, and more common in the fair-skinned (I'm Irish/Scandanavian/Hungarian descent) then I might not have a problem at all.

[Miki]

if the slight redness/pinkness has always been a part of your complexion then you hav eno worries but if you notic ethat your complexion is becoming more red over the months/years and is accompanied by flushing then you should consider the possibility of rosacea. as most people stated before, a slightly red complexion is pefectly natural.

[stb09]

I'm not sure if it's been there forever or not. If not, it's come on so gradually, I didn't ever notice it.

I remember once back when I was in 10th grade almost 8 years ago complaining to some friends that I thought I was too pale, and one said, "Yeah, but at least you have some color in your face." At the time, I really didn't notice it.

As I said, I only noticed some redness where I have it now when I started taking Accutane, and then I either got used to it, or it went away because I stopped noticing it. That was two years ago, and I really haven't noticed it again until around April when I noticed myself in an outdoor mirror.

See, in most old pictures, I can't notice it at all, and there are a good deal of recent pictures where it's not at all noticable. Add to that, certain lighting, especially that in the bathrooms and rooms most people see their reflection in, it's not noticable. The only time I see it is in flourescent lighting, and even then, it's really slight.

So it's possible that it's always been this way, and I've just never noticed it. I don't see myself in mirrors outdoors up close all that often.

[Quench]

I mean, I was taking a look at some of the posts in the other forum where people are discussing which celebrities they think might have Rosacea, and they're posting pictures of everyone who has the slightest bit of color on the cheek.

I know what you mean. I find this quite disheartening. I mean if these movie stars have rosacea and with their huge financial resources they must have access to the best derms and treatments available so what hope is there for the rest of us?

Thanks for sharing your pictures. I think you have nice skin.

[stb09]

I end up taking like, 45,000 pictures of myself a day and over-analyzing everything. For every one I find where I look like I don't have a problem, I find another that looks like I do.


http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/skin1.jpg

This one looks fine.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/skin2.jpg

A few hours later, and if the photo is rotated, it begins to look like there could be a problem.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/skin3.jpg

And after exercise here, it really looks like there's a problem.

[Penguin]

Does anyone tell you your flushed or ask you things like "are you hot, had some sun did you" and my fave..."you should slow down"...after having like one sip of a light beer. ??

[stb09]

No one's ever commented on it, no. Because every time I get it, I'm exercising with people who get it too a bit, or drinking with people who also get it a bit.

[Penguin]

Even if you have it (and I'm not saying you do!) in it's mildest pre-rosacea form, the best treatment any derm or anybody else is going to do for you is tell you to NOT GET SUNBURNED (ever, ever!), and use nice things compatible with your skin. Seriously, a lot of it is about prevention...I had the same skin tone as you, pale with a pink undertone, very nice...but I sunburned my face too many times, I know it pushed me into rosacea because I also have it on the top of my chest where I burned all the time too.

Penguin

[stb09]

I rarely sunburn.

Is it worth going to a dermatologist to get a definite answer on this? Can a dermatologist even GIVE a definite answer, or will I be shelling out $80 to get as vague a reply as some of the ones I've gotten?

I need to know. :(


The replies have been helpful, but nothing is consistent. I've read every post on this forum of photos, and looked at everyone's picture. Most of the people posting pictures have exactly what I have, which allegedly is "No Rosacea at all, or very very early stages." and people are commenting about ways to treat it as though these people have it?

The other half of people quite obviously have the condition, and there's probably no disagreement.

But it would really be nice if there was a way to diagnose it. No two sites, people, or doctors seem capable of agreeing. For every one person that thinks it's Rosacea, to another it's just rosy cheeks or a ruddy complexion. It seems as though this is a condition that has gone from once being used to diagnose all adult acne to people who experience painful and disfiguring flushes and redness now all the way down to anyone who has the slightest tint of redness in the complexion at all.

[stb09]

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/DSC00424.jpg

Is natural light the best light to use for a photo? I think I look less red outside than I do in a dark room using a flash.


Anyway, I'm still not clear on some things that I'd like to be clear on before my dermatologist's appointment on Monday.

- What's the difference between blushing and flushing?

- What's the difference between "normal" blushing and flushing, and someone who has Rosacea?

I checked out a post on another forum where an individual was told he had Rosacea by the posters because his face was red and blotchy on the cheeks after he ran a few miles in the heat. If getting red in the face after running 5 miles in the heat is Rosacea, I believe nearly 100% of people are suffering from it.

- What's the difference between a rosy complexion and Rosacea? I try searching for information on "rosy complexions" and just get a million hits for Rosacea.

[Miki]

go for a run, if your face turns red like a fire hydrant then my friend you have rosacea. if your not even aware of your symptoms and you say your not sure what an intense flush is then what are you going to say to the doctor? theres no way hes gonna diagnose you with anything based on slighlty pinkish cheeks.

read more about rosacea and if you notice that some of these things pertain to you then you just might have rosacea.

in my case my face will turn bright red :oops: just like this little guy over here and it wont subside for up to an hour. thats what i would call an intense flush. i can get this from exercise, exposure to the sun or the cold etc... most normal people might flush a bit after intense activities but there blood vessels have the ability to quickly constrict while a rosaceans blood vessels will stay open and the blood will continue to pour in until the face turns firy red and it will stay that way for an abnormal period of time.


do more research and be more aware of your symptoms and triggers.

[stb09]

I've done hours upon hours of research, and like I said there's no consistency in any of the findings.

I don't know if my face is red enough during a "flush", I posted a picture above of what my face looks like after intense physical activity.

I know that my face is a bit pinkish all the time. Has been for most of my life. It gets a bit reddish after I exercise, have sex, or drink. That's about it. It feels warm all the time, but no warmer when it's "flushing" than it does when it's normal. It never stings, or becomes uncomfortable, and my skin isn't that sensitive. It gets dried out easily, but I can use products on it without irritation.

I've never kept track of how long my face stays "extra" reddish after drinking, or exercising. The problem is, it's such a gradual change from my regular state it's hardly noticable, so I can only estimate.

[winterice]

You may or may not have rosacea, but I'd just like to reassure you that your skin looks great. Due to the amount of pictures you're taking I'd say you probably think it's a lot worse than it actually is. If you have rosacea, it looks like pre-rosacea.

You might want to give it 6 months or to see if it gets worse. Just stop obsessing about it. :) Even if it is rosacea you've caught it far earlier than most people do. A doc may not give a definite diagnosis given that your flushing appears to be minimal. Pictures of when you're "not" flushed are more telling of whether you have rosacea or not, because tons of people with pale skin DO get at least a touch of redness after heavy exercise or drinking or whatnot.

Things to look for:
- Persistant Redness
- Increased flushing (eg while exercising, drinking alcohol etc)
- Increased duration of flushing (eg after " " " ")

Think back over the last couple years - Does your face turn more red than it did 1-2 years ago? If you already know these things have been happening, definitely head to the doc - because it IS rosacea.

[stb09]

No, it doesn't.

My face has been as pink as it is for as long as I can remember, and it's always gotten just as red as it does under the conditions I mentioned.

I think the problem is, I just got a camera phone back in April, and I've been taking a million pictures of myself. I'm noticing it for the first time. In normal household lighting, my face looks perfectly fine. Even in flourescent lighting in public restrooms. I've really never noticed anything until I've been taking pictures up close with a flash in a dimly lit room.

I really think it's been like this forever. Trust me, I can spot a new pimple a mile away, or an out of place hair or something in the mirror, but I've never spotted any excessive redness until I started scrutinizing these pictures.

Even regular pictures of me come out fine.

Example?

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m29/stb09/KatieI.jpg

That's my girlfriend, roommate and I. Taken back in April, and I'm drunk off my ass, so my face is bound to be a little red. Yet, you can barely notice it. (You'll also notice my roommate has some redness across his nose and upper cheeks just as I do, and I can almost GUARANTEE he doesn't have Rosacea. Yet, he flushes when he drinks, or gets too much sun, or exercises.)

Which is making me think maybe Rosacea is getting seriously, seriously overdiagnosed to the point where anyone not obviously dark-skinned is a culprit.

[redhotoz]

Is natural light the best light to use for a photo? I think I look less red outside than I do in a dark room using a flash.

Anyway, I'm still not clear on some things that I'd like to be clear on before my dermatologist's appointment on Monday.

- What's the difference between blushing and flushing?

- What's the difference between "normal" blushing and flushing, and someone who has Rosacea?

I checked out a post on another forum where an individual was told he had Rosacea by the posters because his face was red and blotchy on the cheeks after he ran a few miles in the heat. If getting red in the face after running 5 miles in the heat is Rosacea, I believe nearly 100% of people are suffering from it.

- What's the difference between a rosy complexion and Rosacea? I try searching for information on "rosy complexions" and just get a million hits for Rosacea.
Hi stb09

Yes, it's better to take a photo in natural light. A flash tends to take the redness out.

Blushing is what 'normal' people get from something like being embarrassed, it's short term. Flushing lasts longer and can create a warmth, burning, stinging and possible itching of the skin, especially when you have Rosacea. However, this doesn't happen for all Rosaceans.

A "rosey complexion" can simply mean that it is part of your genetic make-up and can be considered a 'healthy glow'.

It's difficult to answer your questions really. Rosacea manifests itself in many ways and everyone has a different level of comfort.

One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is whether your face feels extra sensitive?

None of us can diagnose Rosacea, no matter how many photos you post or how you describe it. We can only give you our own personal feedback with the best of our knowledge on Rosacea.

If you are taking so many photos, it sure sounds like you feel that your face is not 'normal'. Whether it's no Rosacea, pre-Rosacea or mild Rosacea, there is no harm in at least looking after your skin as best you can with the aim of not making it worse, if it is Rosacea you have.

It is hard to tell from your photos. I don't believe a photo after exercise proves Rosacea as everyone gets red after exercising. I can see some redness in your face from the other photos but it is difficult to tell if it is Rosacea or not.

There has been a lot of good advice posted in this thread for you.

Best of luck!

Jen

[Miki]

not everybody gets red after exercising(maybe a little). the intensity and duration of the redness is what distinguishes a rosacean from a regular person who has some post exercise redness.

[stb09]

This is why I am having such a hard time figuring out what, if anything, I have.

No, my face does not feel sensitive. I can put just about anything on my skin, and nothing irritates my skin. The redness seen in the photographs is the way my face has appeared for almost as long as I can remember it. As far as I know, permanent redness from Rosacea results after one has many years of extreme flushing. Not the other way around.

Even when my face does get "flushed" after exercise, or drinking, the redness is not much more noticable than my regular shade, and is not the slightest bit uncomfortable. Were I not obsessing about my complexion in the mirror, I would otherwise be physically unaware of anything going on, even during a "flush."

This "healthy glow" of a rosy complexion... what exactly does that look like?

Because that could very well be what I have.

[redhotoz]

Hi stb09

If you find no discomfort with your face, you can use just about anything on your skin, you feel that when you flush after exercise or drinking it's not that noticable, as well as the other questions posed that you have answered no to...then you may well just have a healthy glow. This is why the answers in this thread have suggested no Rosacea, pre-Roascea or mild Rosacea, as your face does not look bad! In fact, your face looks pretty damned good! :)

What does a healthy glow of a rosey complexion look like...well...I would have to say it looks like your photos!

I hope you don't have Rosacea!

Jen

[Bob Bear]

I really cant see anything significant (if at all) in any of your photos. Its possible that have pre rosacea, but I cant see any signs to suggest something more.

In your 'after exercise photo' you dont look abnormally flushed at all. Well within what I would consider normal.

But this is good news! Run quickly and get away from this horrible place while you still have the chance :lol:

All the best,

BB

[stb09]

Well, I have my dermatologist's appointment on Monday, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Bob Bear]

Totally mate, I'll have my fingers crossed that they give you the all clear!

BB

[stb09]

Official diagnosis? No Rosacea. Just a ruddy complexion.

Dermatologist said it's his opinion that "pre-Rosacea" shouldn't even be a stage of classification, becuase absolutely everyone with a rosy complexion would fall into that category, inflating the number of people with "Rosacea" to insane proportions.

Also said it's normal for people to get red when exercising, or drinking. Yes, everyone.

[Twickle Purple]

Good news. Glad you've got the A-OK.

[Quench]

That's great news!

[redhotoz]

Fantastic news! I'm really happy for you and so glad you don't have to join the ranks here!

Jen

[Miki]

Official diagnosis? No Rosacea. Just a ruddy complexion.

Dermatologist said it's his opinion that "pre-Rosacea" shouldn't even be a stage of classification, becuase absolutely everyone with a rosy complexion would fall into that category, inflating the number of people with "Rosacea" to insane proportions.

Also said it's normal for people to get red when exercising, or drinking. Yes, everyone.

im not trying to be argumentative but it all depends on your doctors definition of "normal" because my doc diganosed me with rosacea based on flushing alone and i don't really think its normal for someones face to turn from a fire hydrant red to barney the dinosaur purple . you can go to 10 different doctors and im sure you'll get a different opinion from either one.

from your pictures and from what you said i never thought you had rosacea anyway so at least you can rest easy from know on.


sorry for my rant.

[stb09]

I don't get that much redder from exercise or drinking. It's marginally noticable. At the moment, I've just had a considerable amount to drink, and my face is only.. 5% redder than it normally is. Exercise usually pushes it to about 10%, but the degree of the "flush" isn't noticable enough for it to be a problem.

The doctor seemed quite knowledgable about Rosacea, and countered me point for point with everything I've researched. He simply said that he does not agree that "Prerosacea" should be a classification of the disorder, because a lot of fair-skinned persons with ruddy complexions (who are predisposed to Rosacea) would fall into that category, some of whom don't really have a treatable condition.

That's exactly what he said to me. What I have is not something that can be treated, or that warrants any lifestyle changes at this time. He said that due to my complexion I am at risk for developing Rosacea later in life, but that is by no means a guarantee that I will develop it.

[Froggirl]

Great news.

I have had intense painful flushing for the last 9 months and have now been told by multiple doctors and derms that I do not have rosacea. P&P and permenant redness seem to be the key diagnostic criteria for most derms and doctors.

Having said that thought, they do always say that my out of control flushing may lead to rosacea pretty quickly. Even though you don't have bad flushing it might be worth treating your skin as carefully as possible and avoiding as anything that irritates your skin and cause problems later on.

As someone who has similarly obsessed over my skin since i got a digital camera, your skin looks totally normal, so enjoy it!