Michelle Dudash was diagnosed with rosacea less than a year ago, yet she is brimming with advice for her fellow rosacea sufferers.  In fact, the 36-year-old registered dietitian, chef and author from Arizona went so far as to devote an entire entry on her food and cooking blog to tell her story and offer helpful hints to those who suspect they might have rosacea.

Michelle had battled acne previously and assumed acne was the culprit behind the redness, bumps and pimples that lingered for more than a year while she tried facial peels, expensive creams and acne medication.

A study in Mexico found further evidence of a potential relationship between a microscopic parasite and rosacea.  Several studies have shown that Demodex mites, which are present on the facial skin of all humans, occur in much greater numbers on the faces of people with rosacea.

While beer, wine or cocktails may play a role in many social events, rosacea patients who are prone to alcohol-related flare-ups often feel vulnerable when it comes time to raise a toast.  Here are some tips to help you feel more at ease when the drinks are flowing freely.

•  Avoid red wine.  Red wine and rosacea flare-ups go hand-in-hand for many sufferers and the best way to lessen the effects is to avoid it.

Q.  I enjoy lifting weights, but whenever I put my body under physical stress my symptoms get worse.  What type of physical exercise is optimal and at what intensity? 

A.  Any physical exercise that greatly increases your core body temperature may result in flushing and a flare-up of rosacea symptoms, so low- to medium-intensity exercise is probably your best bet.  You might be able to reduce the intensity of your current exercise routine with these techniques:

As dermatology became established in the early 19th century, rosacea was one of the first skin disorders described in medical texts.  The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology recently published an overview of early illustrations of rosacea, showing how far medicine has come in its recognition of the disorder and highlighting how important visual cues are to its diagnosis.¹

Although scientific information about ocular rosacea continues to increase, many rosacea patients themselves may fail to recognize their eye symptoms could be related to this disorder and needlessly suffer, especially during harsh weather, according to Dr. Guy Webster, clinical professor of dermatology at Thomas Jefferson Medical School.

Despite the growth of managed care and pending changes in health insurance as a result of the U.S. Affordable Care Act, a new survey found that prescription medication is currently a covered expense for most rosacea patients.