While there are four main types of rosacea, within each rosacea type there are also four rosacea stages. These rosacea stages are:
1) The Pre-Rosacea Stage
2) The Mild Rosacea Stage
3) The Moderate Rosacea Stage
4) The Severe Rosacea Stage
In the pre-rosacea stage, the symptoms seem like almost normal bodily behavior. You flush maybe a little more readily than most of your friends but hey, you are fairer skinned so it just shows up easier. You get that one hard red reoccurring pimple. Nothing unusual, right?
The first of the active rosacea stages is the mild rosacea stage. During this stage the flushing will last a bit longer, a good half hour or more. You might notice that there are one or two more of those reoccurring red bumps that tend to pop up around your cheeks, nose and chin. Not blackheads and just a few of these bumps that will go away but then reappear later in the exact same spot.
The moderate rosacea stage is the first of the rosacea stages where people may finally realize that what they are experiencing is not normal. The seemingly innocent flush has now started to last for days or weeks. Your face has a constant burning feeling and may have some swelling in the red areas. You may start experiencing clusters of those red, hard or pus-filled bumps. Many people mistakenly think it is adult acne but the lack of blackheads means it is probably not. You might also start noticing small visible blood vessels especially in the nose and cheek area.
At the moderate stage, you might also start noticing a burning, sandy feeling in your eyes. They may be dry or watery, itchy and often bloodshot. Your eyes are becoming more sensitive to light and your eyelids seem inflamed.