Trust us, there's still so much to know about rosacea

With diagnoses on the rise, we investigate why the skin condition is only now having its long-overdue moment on social media.

- Charlotte Bitmead

Blush may be hot right now but when I was growing up, I spent all my pocket money on tubs of Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse trying to camouflage my naturally ruddy cheeks. I have always been frustrated by my skin flushing and it took me until I was in my late teens to officially get to the bottom of why: I had rosacea. Despite not knowing much about the condition, the relief I felt being able to understand a little more about my skin was unparalleled.

Acne advice was being preached everywhere I turned, yet it seemed rosacea was only spoken about in hushed tones at pricey dermatologists' offices. With rosacea diagnoses only rising, the lack of information available is shocking. "Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory disorder. I think of it as our skin's overzealous defence mechanism in response to the environment, says dermatologist Sam Bunting. "And it is something many people have a genetic susceptibility to."

A survey conducted by the National Rosacea Society found that almost 90 per cent of people with rosacea said the condition had lowered their self-confidence and self-esteem, with 41 per cent reporting that it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements. The conversation around self-esteem is still being regularly discussed with acne, but is only now being thought of with rosacea. Even the skin-positivity movement in all its glory appeared to leave those with rosacea off its radar for far too long, despite good intentions.

BIGGER THAN BLUSH