ROSACEA'S ROSY PICTURE

On a daily basis, someone walks through Dr. William Applegarth's doors and asks him if there's anything he can do with the red, sometimes painful patches on their face, the little blood vessels popping to the surface, or all the bumps and pimples.

What he tells all these rosacea sufferers is that it's highly treatable, both by avoiding what triggers the condition and through the use of a variety of medications.

"Everybody's triggers are different," he said, rattling off a list of common culprits, like heat, sun, wind, caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods.

And, because some people have dry skin, oily skin or sensitive skin -- and because rosacea manifests itself differently in people -- he doesn't use the same treatment for everybody. Among the products he prescribes is the new rosacea treatment AVAR-e Green, a cream that treats the symptoms and offers a color corrective tint to neutralize the redness.

If left untreated, sufferers can develop increasing effects, including the enlarged "W.C. Fields" nose, said Valparaiso dermatologist Applegarth.

"That can be the end result for untreated people," he said.

"The vast majority of people can have good results with treatment."

He said those with mild symptoms are usually treated with topical treatments, while those with moderate or severe symptoms might be given topical treatments and oral antibiotics. Patients usually are clear or have significant improvement within six weeks.

Rosacea can affect not only the skin, but also the eyes. Sufferers complain of irritation, dryness or a gritty feeling. Applegarth often refers patients to an eye doctor.

Winter is tough on skin

Applegarth said rosacea is common in every season. But, in winter, there are other skin conditions for which people need to watch out.

The drops in temperature and humidity, combined with indoor heating, can cause dryness and even cracking of the skin. New York-based dermatologist Dr. Mark Kaufmann recommends buying humidifiers for key rooms in the home. Kaufmann, in a news brief provided to The Times, said people might want long, hot baths in the winter, but they actually strip skin of moisture. A short, lukewarm shower no more than once a day protects dry skin or skin suffering from eczema or psoriasis.

Those longing for a warm bath can add some bath oil -- but they should use caution because the tub can become slippery.

Other tips include:

* Use a cleanser such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to prevent stripping the skin's natural oils.

* To avoid dryness, avoid alcohol-containing products like astringents, toners or aftershaves.

* Exfoliate skins with a washcloth or gentle scrub.

* Apply moisturizer immediately after showering, while the skin is still damp, to seal in moisture.

* Apply sunscreen and a lip balm with sun protection, even in the winter months.

* Use a hand cream, like Cetaphil Therapeutic Hand Cream, especially after washing. Adding a biotin supplement to the diet is a good idea if you have brittle, splitting nails.