Please note: Rosacea 101 is a comprehensive, 373 page book, written in 2007, covering the conventional and alternative treatments for rosacea which is basic rosacea 101 knowledge for rosacea newbies. It is a must have book for those suffering with rosacea. Chapter 10, Flushing, is an updated version of what I wrote below which is taken from the Rosacea Diet, written in 2002. Chapter 11, Triggers is also updated. More info.
The majority of rosaceans believe that flushing is rosacea and I have proof on this if you click here. Due to this belief, my prediction is that in upcoming dictionaries under the words, 'flush' and 'flushing' there will be an addition to the definition which will say that a flush or flushing is rosacea. For the rosacea historians I predicted this in January 2005. We shall all see in future editions of dictionaries. Language changes over time and when 60% of rosaceans think flushing is rosacea the odds are that flushing becomes rosacea in the minds of the public even with all the facts showing that this is not the case. Dr. Nase has clearly stated that flushing is not rosacea at this post, even though his book says on page 284,
"Rosacea is caused by frequent facial flushing."
In my mind the above statement is a hyperbole. In many rosaceans' minds the above statement is a fact.
One of the most comprehensive reports on flushing is by Christian Nasr, M.D. which says in the first paragraph, "Repeated flushing over a prolonged period of time can lead to telangiectasia and occasionally to classical rosacea of the face." source Does Dr. Nasr's statement about flushing indicate that flushing is rosacea? You be the judge.
An example of how rosaceans conclude that flushing is rosacea is the following comment by one rosacean:
"...flushing is a must symptom for rosacea." source
First off, a symptom is something that a patient describes is happening to them, like for instance, 'my face feels hot.' A sign is observed or felt. Seeing a patient's face red is a sign. Flushing is a sign. The statement should have read:
'Flushing is a must sign of rosacea.'
However, is this statement correct? Is it absolute that flushing has to appear on a patient to conclude that rosacea is present? No. Flushing is one of the signs of rosacea, just like pustules are a sign. Do pustules have to appear to have rosacea? No. So, just like pustules, flushing may or may not be present in a rosacean. More often than not, however, flushing is present in a rosacean. But you can have a rosacea flare up and not have a flush.
There is no doubt more to say about flushing and trigger factors and this page is dedicated to more on the subject. For instance, someone at r-s asked the question how to diagnose pre-rosacea at this post.and the answer involves flushing and can be a bit confusing, especially if one puts a lot of stock in flushing as the heart of rosacea. Just remember that flushing is only one of the signs of rosacea and is not the definition of rosacea because flushing is a sign of rosacea, just like pustules, burning pain, and tenderness.
When a rosacean believes that flushing is the heart of the disorder of rosacea the treatment is usually to avoid flushing which may become an obsessive - compulsive disorder. Examples of avoidance of flushing can be found:
What if the cause of rosacea is actually not a disorder of flushing but instead something else? Could flushing just be an aggravating factor of rosacea like steroids or certain topicals? As you can see from my editorial on flushing that flushing is one of the signs/symptoms of rosacea. Obviously more research is needed.
A discussion on the various types of flushing can be found by clicking here.
Note that the "standard therapy with avoidance of all flushing triggers is often ineffective in moderate to severe rosacea sufferers, and usually results in significant alterations in the sufferer's lifestyle, and a decrease in his or her quality of life." source
Oral and topical antibiotics are often ineffective in the treatment of erythema and flushing. The most effective way to prevent the occurrence of flushing episodes and the progression of the disease is to avoid the associated trigger factors. Low-dose clonidine (Catapres; 0.05 mg twice daily) may be effective in controlling flushing, especially in women who are postmenopausal. A nonselective beta blocker (such as long-acting propranolol [Inderal], 80 to 240 mg daily, and nadolol [Corgard], 40 to 80 mg daily) may also be used to treat erythema and flushing. source
red face: when flushing isn't rosacea This paper explores the different problems that may be causing flushing. The list of possible reasons other than rosacea is extensive. click here
