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As skin issues go, few are as poorly understood asrosacea on Black skin.
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But the most crucial myth to debunk?
Only white people get rosacea.
“Rosacea is basically an inflammatory condition that most commonly presents on the face,” Elbuluk says.
“It consists of tiny broken blood vessels, most prominently on the cheeks and nose area.
Certain triggers can cause these broken blood vessels to dilate so the person looks flushed and red.”
Other symptoms include sensitivity, swelling, and changes in skin texture.
But that’s where the similarities end and darker skin tones face a new set of challenges.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, say the experts.
There’s no denying that it’s easier to spot redness and broken capillaries more clearly on pale skin.
But that doesn’t mean that Black skin automatically gets a free pass from rosacea.
“Rosacea can present as a violet, purple, or a dusky brown hue on Black skin.”
Cue confusion and patients trying and failing to manage their symptoms with the wrong over-the-counter products.
In other words, throwing petrol on a once extinguishable fire.
For example, whileretinoidsare powerful enough to improve breakouts, they can easily rile up rosacea-prone skin.
“There’s some data that looks at the gut microbiome in relation to rosacea,” she explains.
“One study found very high carbohydrate intake may contribute to rosacea flares in some individuals.”
AddsChesahna Kindred, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Maryland: “I immediately ask about the eyes.
Rosacea likes to gradually sneak up on the eyes, leaving them itchy, dry, or watery.
I also ask patients if they have gravitated more toward products for sensitive skin over the years.”
Things don’t play out much better on the consumer-facing side.
Irrespective of skin color, there is no definitive cure for rosacea.
But the good news is that it is manageable under a dermatologist’s care.
To start, Ingleton believes that flare-ups are provoked by certain things that can luckily be avoided.
“Start identifying the patterns in your rosacea, and then take steps to avoid those triggers.”
For the long haul, Ingleton stresses the need to establish a gentleskin-care routine.
Specifically, using hydrating and replenishing ingredients such asniacinamide,hyaluronic acid, andceramidesto restore the skin’scompromised barrier.
In addition, she warns against usingabrasive scrubsand over-cleansing.
Daily software of an SPF 30 or higher is important, too.
She explains that this is particularly important because “UV radiationcan adversely affect rosacea but also worsen hyperpigmentation.”
