Help! What do I have..Not Acne, Not Rosacea

[steveo42]

27 yo male.  I have been dealing with red cheeks for years.  Its not acne, and I dont think its rosacea because I ONLY have it on my cheeks.  Also, whenever I workout, run, drink, sit in a hot tub, my cheeks get VERY red.  They are not just red all over.  They are only red in a shape that is not symmetrical.  Both blotches cover approx the same amount of area but the shapes of the redness is slightly different.  These red areas have a clear border.  In other words, the redness doesn't t"thin out" to normal color skin.  There is just a very red area on each cheek.  One thing that I have also noticed is that the RED area is always warmer to the touch then the normal skin color.   I have always been into working out and I work out with friends.  I am always the only guy whose cheeks get deep red.  It can be embarrassing.  I am Irish and have fair skin, but no one in my direct family suffers from this.  Although, I have seen several people in my travels who appear to have the same thing.  I always thought it would go away as I got older, however, its only gotten worse.  There must be a name for it and I hope there is a way to treat it.   Please help.

[loiloi]

Hi. This could be Rosacea even though it is only on your cheeks. The appearance of Rosacea is worsened by changes in temperature, alcohol, foods high in histamines, hot drinks and inappropriate cosmetic products or procedures. Your doctor can confirm this diagnosis and prescribe oral Oxytetracycline (an antibiotic which also reduces inflammation of the skin) and a topical lotion for the redness such as Metronidozole.
You can help yourself by avoiding potential triggers and using a cleanser and moisturiser for facial redness. My favorites are Clinique's Redness Solutions, Eucerin's Redness Relief and Rosaliac by La Roche-Posay.
Rosacea tends to get worse with age, whereas Acne often improves. However, it is benign in nature and usually responds well to the treatments above.
Eloise.