Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that causes persistent flushing and blushing. It’s also a common skin condition at least more than 16 million Americans share – and celebrities are no exception. Though they’re expected to look perfect on red carpets, a few celebrities have bravely opened up about their struggles with rosacea.
Some celebrities with rosacea include Cynthia Nixon, Sofia Vergara, Dita Von Teese, Brittany Snow, and Sam Smith. And as a bonus, King Charles III, Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry are all reported to have it as well.
Of course, celebrities who deal with rosacea are not on public record, and they shouldn’t have to disclose that if they choose not to. What we have below are only a few who publicly came out with their struggles, hoping to inspire others who suffer from the condition as well.
In this article, we’ll go over our favorite celebrities with rosacea. We’ll also briefly discuss all the basics of rosacea and what you should know about the skin condition.
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a common chronic skin condition characterized by persistent flushing and blushing. Visible blood vessels are also often seen on the skin’s surface, giving off a red and flushed look.
Rosacea mostly affects the cheeks and nose areas. The forehead and chin may also show some symptoms. In some cases, the neck, chest, back, and other areas can also exhibit some rosacea symptoms.
Rosacea can often look similar to other skin problems or may look as simply getting flushed and red easily. That is why it’s often misdiagnosed or goes unnoticed altogether in some cases.
Rosacea is a long-term and chronic condition. This means patients with this condition experience symptoms in a cycle.
They can suffer a flare-up due to a trigger, take control of the symptoms, and make it go away for a while. But when something else triggers another flare-up, the cycle restarts and continues.
Rosacea symptoms
Here are the typical symptoms of rosacea:
- Persistent facial blushing or redness: This is the most common symptom of rosacea. This is often seen on the center of the face, though the forehead and chin areas may also be susceptible to persistent blushing. This symptom can be difficult to see on darker skin tones, so keeping an eye out for the other symptoms is essential.
- Visible blood vessels: Another common symptom is visible blood vessels or spider veins. When these small blood vessels become visible, they can also contribute to facial redness and blushing.
- Pus-filled bumps: When there aren’t obvious signs of facial redness and blushing, one symptom to keep an eye out for is pus-filled bumps and cysts. These resemble and are often mistaken for acne. These develop deep within the skin and are painful.
- Burning and sensitivity: Rosacea skin can feel hot, tender, and sensitive. There might also be some burning or stinging sensation too on top of very sensitive skin.
- Thickened skin: Some cases of rosacea can cause facial skin to thicken, especially on the nose area. This often gives the nose a larger and bulbous appearance. This is a more severe case symptom and is most common in men.
- Eye irritation: In some rosacea cases, the eyes may also be affected. This can lead to bloodshot, red, and irritated eyes that may or may not cause blurry vision as well. The eyelids can develop bumps, cysts, or styes.
Types of rosacea
It’s important to know that there are different types of rosacea and each type exhibits different symptoms as well.
Here are the four subtypes of rosacea:
Subtype 1: Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) is characterized by persistent flushing and redness. The inflamed skin can develop some burning, tingling, or stinging sensation and is the mildest form.
Subtype 2: Papulopustular (acne) rosacea exhibits the general symptoms of ETR but with acne-like and pus-filled bumps. These bumps and rashes develop deep in the skin and can be painful and very red for rosacea patients.
Subtype 3: Phymatous rosacea refers to the thickening of small patches of skin. This can look bumpy and raised. It’s also common to lead to rhinophyma which is the thickening of the skin of the nose, causing a bulbous nose appearance.
Subtype 4: Ocular rosacea affects the eye and the area around it. Common symptoms include bloodshot and irritated eyes and bumps and cysts on the eyelids.
For more information on these four types of rosacea, head on to our detailed guide here.
What causes rosacea flare-ups?
To this day, doctors and scientists are yet to point out exactly what causes rosacea.
For now, we can conclude that rosacea triggers are most likely a mix of genetic predispositions and environmental factors.
People in any of the categories below are more susceptible to developing rosacea:
- Those between 30 to 50 years old
- Those with light skin, hair, and eyes
- Women (though men are more at risk of developing severe cases)
- Those with family members who have rosacea as well
There are also possible environmental factors that can trigger rosacea:
- Spicy food
- Sun exposure
- Hot or cold temperatures
- Alcohol
- Allergies
- Excessive sweating
- Treatments
Treatments for rosacea, sensitive skin
Much like the cause of rosacea, we’re still to find out the cure for it.
The good news is there are several treatment options available to control rosacea and manage its symptoms:
- Topical treatments
- Oral medications
- Gentle rosacea skin care regimen
- Facial treatments
- Laser and light therapy (read about our guide on laser treatment for rosacea here)
Our Favorite Celebrities With Rosacea: And What They Have to Say About It
Rosacea is a very common skin condition. According to the National Rosacea Society (NRS) here, more than 16 million Americans and more than 415 million worldwide have it – and celebrities are no exception.
Here are some of our favorite celebrities with rosacea:
- Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City is one of the most famous faces of rosacea.
She once told the National Rosacea Society (NRS), “Before I was diagnosed with rosacea, I took a slash-and-burn approach, using scrubs and astringents to remove dead skin and keep my pores clear. When I was finally diagnosed, it was helpful to know that I was actually doing my skin more harm than good.”
As a celebrity spokesperson for NRS, she helps educate the public and bring awareness surrounding the condition and encourage others to seek medical help.
- Sofia Vergara
The Modern Family star is another outspoken celebrity who suffers from this skin condition.
Sofia Vergara reveals that the intense lights on filming sets have contributed to the reddening and swelling of her skin.
Talking about how she takes care of her rosacea skin and avoids triggers, she said, “I am religious about removing my makeup at night. I do not expose myself to the sunlight.”
- Dita Von Teese
Dita Von Teese aka the Queen of Burlesque hides something underneath those seemingly-perfect porcelain white skin – rosacea.
She shares, “I have really sensitive skin, and a few allergies, so I stay on it. I recently had a bout with rosacea. I was told by a big-name dermatologist, ‘this is your life now,'”. And this is true for all rosacea sufferers because it is a life-long chronic condition.
She further explains that topical medications and oral medicines both helped her manage and control her symptoms.
- Brittany Snow
The Hairspray and Pitch Perfect star has been cited as a fan of facialist Sonia Dakar’s Organic Omega Booster, which is known to calm and ease redness.
Rosacea can be itchy and painful, and one approach to getting the symptoms under control is with soothing ingredients in your skincare routine as Britany Snow has shared.
- Sam Smith
In a US Weekly article, English singer-songwriter Sam Smith revealed they have rosacea. In the same article, however, they also reveal that their favorite alcohol is French red wine.
A common trigger for rosacea flare-ups is alcohol. Many rosacea sufferers try to control flare-ups by stopping or at least controlling their alcohol consumption.
- King Charles III, Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry
Rosacea can often run in the family and is hereditary. If someone has rosacea, you’re most likely finding other family members with the same condition.
The royal family just proves this. The now King Charles III, the late Princess Diana, and Princes William and Harry all reportedly have rosacea.
Conclusion
Rosacea is a common chronic skin condition affecting more than 16 million Americans and celebrities are no exception. They seem untouchable on-screen but they do suffer skin conditions like us normies do. Makeup can do wonders for self confidence regarding rosacea.
The public expects celebrities to be picture-perfect but quite a few publicly open up about their skin issues and struggles. A few of our favorite celebrities who opened up about their struggles with rosacea include Cynthia Nixon, Sofia Vergara, Dita Von Teese, Brittany Snow, and Sam Smith.
And that has been our guide on celebrities with rosacea. If you have more questions, reach out to us below!