Question by Julie-Anna H: I have redness on my cheeks at night. What could it be?
The redness occurs every night at the same time, no matter what I’m doing. It burns when you touch it, and sometimes it feels like its burning down to my cheek bones.
I was just diagnosed with rosacea by my dermatologist, but she still isn’t sure that I have it (there is no sure way to know).
There aren’t any triggers (like spicy foods, hot drinks, hot showers, etc). Nothing makes it start, and nothing makes it stop. (It’s always gone by the time I wake up though.)
I’m not really sure that I have rosasea, because rosecea has a lot to do with acne, and I don’t have acne, or a lot of the rosacea symptoms.
Any ideas as to why my face is being weird? =|
Best answer:
Answer by Andrew D
It definitely sounds like you do have rosacea. Most patients rosacea symptoms are less severe in the morning upon waking (this is not clearly understood). Rosacea has nothing to do with typical acne –> rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition caused by an overproduction of two types of inflammatory proteins in the skin. Acne is caused by bacteria which feed upon sebum in clogged hair follicles. Rosacea diagnosis is based on observation of symptoms, yes — there is no lab test for it.
You do have the classic early stage signs of rosacea. There are many stages of the condition, and it affects different people differently — not everyone has all of the same symptoms. However, rosacea is progressive in most people. If you wait around, deny that you have it, and don’t treat it, you probably eventually will develop many/most of the symptoms.
From your description, it sounds like you have the telangietactic stage of rosacea, which is characterized by redness in the cheeks, severe redness/flushing, and some burning sensations. Not everyone has “triggers”, especially in the earlier stages.
If you try a cream called Finacea (15% azelaic acid), and a prescription wash called Plexion, and this combination of treatments works after a couple of months, then you know for sure that you have rosacea. Sometimes, taking a .05mg dose of clonidine helps people with their rosacea as well.
Your choice is to do nothing and suffer with your face as it is or try treatments for rosacea and see if they help.
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