In 2012, artist Amelia Fais Harnas’ wine stain paintings began to attract attention online. She was elated, thinking that maybe this would be her big break. However, she noticed that the more she worked with wine, the more issues she had with her complexion.

“I almost always drank a glass of wine whenever I worked on a wine stain,” she explained. “Creating wine stains can prove to be very frustrating, and a big glass of wine was an obvious and easy way to make things more palatable.” 

Though rosacea's signs and symptoms may often be unpredictable and frustrating, three basic practices - adherence to medical therapy, avoiding triggers and gentle skin care - can help bring it under control on a long-term basis.

"Patients must first make a strong commitment to long-term medical therapy," said Dr. Boni Elewski, vice chair of dermatology at the University of Alabama - Birmingham.

In addition to complying with medical therapy, an important part of managing rosacea for many patients is to identify and avoid environmental and lifestyle factors that may trigger or aggravate their individual conditions.

You've been following your doctor's orders for prescribed medical therapy and have made lifestyle changes to avoid trigger factors -- and you look terrific. Then you stop using the therapy and go back to a carefree lifestyle. And your rosacea returns with a vengeance.

"Rosacea is often characterized by remissions and flare-ups," said Dr. Diane Thiboutot, professor of dermatology, Pennsylvania State University.

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."