(*Sirens*)

There is nothing quite like a pretty pink rosy blush to give a gal that youthful healthy glow – but let’s be honest, there is a line to be drawn. The line lies somewhere between rosy-glow and ruddy, wretched rosacea. You ladies who suffer know what I’m talking about. The fiery red spots that refuse to go away or worse, start spreading like wildfire to any portion of your T-zone.

Lots of flame references, I know. And while rosacea isn’t a skin condition that afflicts all of us, it’s not all that uncommon – so I officially dub it an unnatural disaster. What to do? What to do?

An article in the June 2011 issue of Real Simple magazine takes a look at the who, what, why, where and how of this dreaded skin condition – and, well… it seems the experts are… um… just guessing. Most believe that rosacea is an inflammatory response triggered by an over-active immune system – but the truth is no one really knows what causes it. What they do know is that it’s most common in women over 30 (*gasp), in those with fairer complexions (*gasp) and in people of Northern European or British descent (*crap).

If you’ve got it, you know it – the key is to figure out what triggers you to suffer a rosacea outbreak and then squash those triggers like the tiny bugs they are. Yes, this could mean moderation and/ or self-control. It’s gonna be hard, I know.

Is it too much sun, too much of the vino, scorching temperatures, or spicy foods? All of these things can trigger rosacea outbreaks. For example, the tell-tale pink nose on your gal pal after she’s over-imbibed, or the creeping rosy glow after ingesting any foods that mights cause vasodilation (A fancy word that means: blood vessels expanding under the skin.) like spices, eggplant, soy sauce and avocado (Goodbye guacamole. Goodbye baba ganoush. I’ll miss dipping with you.)

And while it can be as simple as eradicating the cause and effect of a trigger, it’s also a good strategy to make sure your products aren’t causing any adverse reactions as well. Use a gentle daily cleaner and moisturizer with soothing ingredients like aloe, chamomile, or niacinamide (a derivative of B vitamin.) And don’t neglect the SPF for fear of irritation – use a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide-based sunscreen that are mild yet still keep your dermis safe and happy. (Have I sufficiently hammered the importance of SPF home, yet?)

While some minor outbreaks can be staved off with a little self-restraint, a green tinted primer (to camouflage redness) and a gentle mineral foundation, some cases require a more serious fix. If your rosacea has progressed from a furious flush heart-breaking broken capillaries and/ or acne-like bumps – you may need to call in the big dogs: your Dermie. Prescription topicals (Finacea, Metrogel) contain extra strength anti inflammatories which might help cool a fiery face. Intense pulse-light lasers also work for some by painlessly shrinking visible capillaries and some dermatologists recommend oral or topical antibiotics for redness relief. Your dermie will know what’s best for you.