Bright red nose, usually just both sides of the bridge?

I'm not sure if this is technically Rosacea or not.

I was a glasses wearer for years and always, always had warm red spots on either side of my nose.  I just assumed they were caused by the glasses resting on my face.

Now it's been a few years since I had Lasik, and these spots - not acne, more like a furious blush - still come and go although I don't wear glasses anymore.

It seems to happen the most often when I drink beer, eat really spicy food, or do any sort of effort-ful physical activity.  Usually it's just on the sides of the nose, high up on the bridge, but sometimes it's the whole nose.  (Quite embarrassing.)  I can usually feel it when it's present, like localized heat (almost like a sunburn?) and the skin there is warmer to the touch than other parts of my face.  There are NO bumps; the skin feels exactly the same in texture as the rest of my face.  I only get a tiny amount of acne right before and during my menses, and this is nothing like that.  I've done A/B sorts of tests with hydration levels and moisturizing, but none of that has seemed to have had ANY effect on these occurrences.

The only ways I can keep the red from happening are to refrain from exercise, avoid alcohol/salt/peppers, and not get too excited about anything.  Obviously, that's no way to live long term. ;p

What can/should I be doing to help minimize the red appearance when it does happen?  Or is there any realistic way to prevent it in the first place?

I do not have any Asian heritage, so I don't think it's an enzyme problem as far as the alcohol goes.

Thanks!

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

Typical signs and symptoms of rosacea include facial flushing, redness, burning, red bumps, and cysts. The nose is one of the first areas to be affected in rosacea. Some people may also attribute the prominent red nose to excessive alcohol intake.  Treatment choices for rosacea depend on the severity and extent of symptoms. Available medical treatments include antibacterial washes, topical creams, antibiotic pills, lasers, pulsed-light therapies, photodynamic therapy, and isotretinoin. For proper diagnosis and management of rosacea, I would recommend that you have this  evaluated by your dermatologist.

Take care and keep us posted.

Mild rosacea may not necessarily require treatment if the individual is not bothered by the condition. More resistant cases may require a combination approach, using several of the treatments at the same time. A combination approach may include home care of washing with a prescription sulfa wash twice a day, applying an antibacterial cream morning and night, and taking an oral antibiotic for flares. A series of in-office laser, intense pulsed light, or photodynamic therapies may also be used in combination with the home regimen. It is advisable to seek a physician's care for the proper evaluation and treatment of rosacea.

To

[Dr Santos]

To read more about rosacea, this link may be helpful:
http://www.medicinenet.com/rosacea/page4.htm#5whatis

Take care and regards.

[JosieNutter]

No acne, no bumps, no cysts.

And it starts as soon as I have HALF of a pint of beer.  That's not quite what I consider excessive alcohol intake.  I have been avoiding all alcohol this month, and it still happened when I had a medium-spicy Indian curry last week.

Not sure if it's helpful at all, but these blushes(?) go away on their own without treatment, usually within a few hours.

I'm starting to wonder if it might not be some sort of gluten intolerance...

[Ali_BB]

You have described my condition.  I'm 37 this has happened to me since I was 23.  Also, it happens nearly everyday when I eat late dinner after having not eaten all afternoon.

[cb040711]

I also have this and am so worried.  It usually happens in the evening and periodically throughout the day.  It flushes and then goes away on its own sometimes within a few minutes.  Did you ever find out what's causing yours?  I'm planning on getting a lupus work up just to be sure that's not it.

[edh697]

i too have experienced these same symptoms from age 16 - now 35.  i used all different types of roseacea treatments and do not believe that to be the cause, as the redness is bridge of nose and not the butterfly shape or blotchy.  I recently went to another very experience esthetician and she thought that is was a form of allergy, somehow effecting the sinus...as the sinuses are directly behind the bridge of the nose.  I also have a constant runny nose.  I have taken antihistamines with no luck, but not tried prescription Singulair or shots, but these makes a lot of sense to me.  Any luck on your end?