Since sun exposure is a common trigger factor for rosacea, proper sun protection may be a key to staying free of flare-ups this summer. Here are tips for using sunscreen this season and all year round.

Nobody likes to be on the hot seat. Yet that's where many with rosacea may find themselves this summer unless they take special care to prevent the common rosacea pitfalls of the hot season.

"The sun and hot weather both tend to exacerbate rosacea, and can make outdoor activities especially challenging for people with this condition," said Dr. James Del Rosso, assistant clinical professor of dermatology, University of Nevada School of Medicine. "Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to minimize these effects."

While many individuals may fear the growth of excess tissue on the nose that often heralds subtype 3 rosacea (phymatous rosacea), a bulbous enlarged nose need not be permanent. Today, surgical methods such as electrocautery and laser surgery may be used to take away the distorted shape and bring back a normal appearance.

Ramona McDaniels had no knowledge of rosacea when her symptoms first appeared. When her face began to flush frequently, with the redness lasting longer each time, she suspected everything and anything.

"I tried to figure it out," McDaniels said. "Everything under the sun was suspect. I thought it might be my makeup, allergies, foods, the sun."

The list of potential culprits grew until one day her mother read an article about rosacea. "She looked at me and said, 'This is what you have.'"

A severe infestation of microscopic skin mites may mimic rosacea but fail to respond to standard therapy, according to a presentation by Dr. Martin Schaller, assistant professor of dermatology at Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The tiny mites, known as Demodex folliculorum, are normal inhabitants of human skin. Studies have found an elevated incidence of Demodex in rosacea patients, but it is uncertain whether this is a contributing factor or a result of the disorder.

If your rosacea is affected by certain spicy foods, they may have no place in your picnic basket this summer. It's not just the popular south-of-the-border cuisines that can lead to the red rash of rosacea in many individuals, but many other ingredients as well, according to a new survey of more than 500 rosacea patients by the National Rosacea Society.

Q. Not only do I have rosacea on my face, but I also have symptoms on my scalp. Is this common and how should it be treated?

A. While rosacea is primarily a disorder of the facial skin, it may also appear in other areas. In a survey of rosacea patients, signs and symptoms were reported by 15 percent of the respondents on the neck, 6 percent on the chest, 5 percent on the scalp and 4 percent on the ears.