Rosacea is a common skin condition that causes flushing or long-term redness on your face. It also may cause enlarged blood vessels and small, pus-filled bumps. The condition is often disregarded and mistaken for acne or dermatitis.
Affecting more than 415 million people across the globe, which estimates to be approximately 5.4% of the adult population worldwide, Rosacea can affect the face, cheeks and even the eyes. Showing up as a reddish blush in fairer skin tones, symptoms can be difficult to detect in darker skin tones.
Studies show that early detection of rosacea in darker skin tones can be easily missed or mistaken for another condition. A report in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology reviewed epidemiological studies of rosacea in people of color. The report suggested that the difficulty in detecting the condition in darker skin tones may be leading to underdiagnoses. It states: “Rosacea is infrequently reported among nonwhite populations worldwide, but difficulty detecting its characteristics in darker skin might be leading to its underdiagnosis.” –
So, we asked Dr. Eva Melegh, dermatologist at Buda Health Center, Hungary. With over twenty years of experience in clinics and leading clinical trials in the biological drug treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and rosacea; Dr Melegh shared with us how to detect rosacea in darker skin tones.
She said, “In terms of statistics, rosacea is more prevalent in fair skin tones. However, this is likely to be that it’s reported and diagnosed more in fair skin tones because it is so visibly obvious. Yet the causes, triggers and treatments for rosacea do not differ for fair or darker skin tones, so it is likely that in reality the condition is more prevalent in darker skin tones than statistics suggest.”
Despite fairer and darker skin tones showing similar symptoms, it becomes a challenge to detect it in the latter. As Dr. Melegh explains “In lighter skin tones rosacea is more evident due to the underlying redness being more visible. In darker skin tones, it is the bumpiness of the skin, the feeling of sudden heat in the skin, the itchiness of the skin, the sensitivity of the skin and the small clusters of pustules in the affected areas (typically the cheeks, nose and middle of forehead) and dry tight patches of skin following a rosacea flare. These are the symptoms that indicate rosacea in darker skin tones.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that melanin plays an important role as well. Dr. Melegh mentions that “skin with less melanin tends to show rosacea more clearly due to the redness that manifests with the condition, but other than visible redness there are several other symptoms that appear in all skin tones with rosacea”.
Here are the signs to look out for according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association:
- Redness/violet color lasting for weeks or months
- Flushing
- Acne-like breakouts
- Skin thickening
- Visible blood vessels
- Eye irritation
- Dryness
- Itchiness
Management Recommendations:
Firstly, Dr Melegh recommends buying meticulously formulated skincare products for rosacea-prone skin and utilizing it consistently between flares, not just during flare-ups.
Secondly, avoid frequently changing products. With a never-ending skincare market there is an unlimited supply of skincare products, which doesn’t mean that all products are fit for everyone. So, when you find a regime that seems effective, refrain from changing it. As rosacea skins are often way more sensitive than normal ones and the dermis finds it hard to adapt to the different ingredients of the products.
Thirdly, don’t wash skin with water. It has been proven that temperature fluctuations can trigger rosacea flares. With this in mind, water regardless of the temperature can cause flare ups. Some good substitutes are “water-free cleansersenriched with moisturising ingredients to cleanse your skin and remove cosmetics.”
Last but not least, she recommends selecting perfume-free skincare products. They can cause minor reactions in sensitive skin and provoke flare ups.
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition and there are no cures says Dr Melegh, “There’s no definitive cure for rosacea as it’s a chronic skin condition rather than an acute one. However, it can be managed effectively, typically through a combination of limited medication, targeted skincare products, and a regular skincare routine with specific precautions,”
Dr Eva Melegh recommends using Kalme Skincare, a diverse range of products infused with targeted ingredients, designed to combat the cyclical symptoms of rosacea.
As ever, we strongly encourage you to contact your medical provider before trying new products.
