What do former presidents Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin have in common? A condition called acne rosacea, a chronic inflammation of blood vessels in the skin, which causes a ruddy complexion and small acne like rash on the cheeks, forehead and nose.
In men, can often make the skin of the nose to thicken and swell, leading toa condition called rhinophyma.
Nobody knows what it does, but the list of potential triggers is endless. The main culprits are alcohol and rich, spicy foods.
Because its roots are unknown, there is no permanent cure either, so management is the key. This is partly achieved by identifying what makes the rosacea worse through a process of exclusion and the use of topical antibiotics - usually metronidazole. Practitioner diagnosis is crucial because the symptoms can mimic more serious illnesses such as lupus. Rosacea can last a lifetime, especially among men, but often clears on its own.