Rosacea

Rosacea is an inflamed rash that affects the central part of the face.

Its severity can range from red, blotchy skin to lumpy, thickened skin in long-term cases. It is more common in people with fair skin.

We do not know what causes rosacea. Doctors think it is caused by an inflammatory immune response.

The commonest symptoms are:

Redness or blushing across your nose, cheeks, forehead, chin, neck and chest that comes and goes to start with.
With time the redness may become permanent.

The redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin.
Tiny, broken blood vessels under the skin.
Small bumps that may contain fluid (papules and pustules).

Less common symptoms include:

Keep a symptom diary to find things that make your rash worse so you can avoid them. Common triggers include sun exposure, hot or cold temperatures, spicy food, alcohol and hot drinks.
Moisturise your skin often.
Use at least a SPF 30 sunscreen. Physical sunscreens (like zinc or titanium oxide) may suit your skin better.
Avoid steroid creams (for example, hydrocortisone) as they can make rosacea worse.

Rosacea is a long-term condition that cannot be cured. But there are options to try to control the symptoms. These include:

Prescription creams including brimonidine for flushing.
Topical antibiotics (for example, metronidazole) for lumps.
Long courses of antibiotics by mouth have an anti-inflammatory effect and can used for more severe rosacea.
Other specialised treatments such as light therapy are available for resistant rosacea. These are available through a dermatologist.

HealthInfo recommends the following pages

DermNet – Rosacea
Information about the causes, features, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of rosacea.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed February 2025.

Page reference: 932421

Review key: HIROS-117454