GP Jennifer Grant answers your medical queries People who sweat a lot may get a rash that causes an itch. Photo: Getty Question: I have rosacea and it usually occurs on my face. I recently noticed that it has started happening elsewhere on my body — for example I had a patch on my leg for a few weeks and then it went away.
I also have started getting it on my buttocks. What could be causing this and what can I do about it? Dr Grant replies: I assume a medical professional gave you a diagnosis of rosacea on your face some time ago. Rosacea tends to be a chronic skin disease that can flare at times, then go away for a while, but primarily affects the face.
The skin changes seen with rosacea include oily skin with enlarged pore size, sebaceous gland hyperplasia (small bumps under the skin from blocked sebaceous ducts), persistent red/pinkish skin tone, flushing, broken tiny surface blood vessels (also known as telangiectasia) and inflammatory papules/pustules that look like acne spots. I suspect it may be a different skin disorder such as acne vulgaris, psoriasis, dermatitis or another disease that is affecting the other areas of your body. A rash is defined as a widespread eruption of skin lesions and getting to the underlying cause of the rash is the key to resolving it.
In all cases, a picture really does paint a thousand words. If shown a photograph of a rash, a doctor or specialist nurse may be able to have a good guess as to the underlying cause and be able to initiat.
