What is rosacea?

Rosacea is a condition that we see in people usually over 40 and it's associated with a flushing of the face. The face reddens because of the increased blood flow to the skin that these people have. It stimulates the oil glands, and you get an acne type of eruption, an overproduction of the oil glands. It is due to increased blood flow to the skin of the face and it's particularly seen again in Celtic people: the red-faced Irishmen and the red, rosy cheeks of Welch people or German people. This is due to an increased blood flow to the skin, and it is rather interesting that it helps to protect them against frostbite. This is why the Swedes and the Norwegians and my family of Scots moved to a very cold part of the globe. They were able to tolerate the cold because they had an increased circulation in the skin that helps prevent frost bite, but at the same time later on in life, this increased blood flow to the skin causes an increased production of the oil glands and changes in the oil glands. They get an acne type of eruption that is very troublesome for people who have it. They will typically have a very red face, and it's troublesome in that regard. We do have treatments available. We are talking about it more because if people can come in early, oftentimes we can do a lot more for them than if they come in later, when they have lot of acne and perhaps a lot of overgrowth of the oil glands. W.C. Fields and his bulbus type nose was an example of a late stage of rosacea where there is an overproduction of the oil glands. Again it's seen particularly in the Celtic individuals with the increased flushing or blushing. People say I blush very easily; I have one beer and my face gets real red.