What causes rosacea?

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No one knows for certain what causes rosacea. Researchers have suggested several theories that may be related to its development:

A disorder of the blood vessels that causes them to swell, leading to flushing.
A genetic predisposition combined with certain environmental factors that may irritate the skin.
Clogging of the sebaceous gland openings with skin mites called demodex folliculorum, which live in facial hair follicles.

Rosacea seems to affect fair-skinned people more often, though it can affect any skin type. Often several people in a family have the condition, so researchers think it may be at least partly genetic. In some cases, rosacea may be associated with migraine headache, other skin disorders, and certain eye disorders, including blepharitis and keratitis.

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