Dear the friend who is always blushing,
Can I be honest and say I think you are pretty. There was a time when I got jealous because of
the red tint that stays constantly on your face. I admit it was oblivious and ignorant of me because I never knew how irritated and uncomfortable you felt whenever your face blushed.
“It was not any regular blushing, it is called rosacea.”
I was not aware that your blush was a sign of your body feeling stressed out by the
environment. Our immune system all reacts to the external stimulator in order to protect us.
However, your immune system mistakenly gets triggered and invokes the presence of
cathelicidin - an inflammatory mediator that is abnormally processed in this case. This begins
the whole process of prolonged inflammation that irritates your skin on the outside, and your
blood tissues underneath.
I was worried to see you worried. Thus, I know you need my support. I tried to learn more about
what you are going through, and I want to be a friend who is joining you in this fight against this
condition.
Being your friend, I know you have to be more careful when the winter arrives, when it is
sunny outside, or when you have to stay away from spicy food or are not able to drink
caffeinated beverages. You appear to be more sensitive to the temperature when we are in the
room together. Sometimes, I can even sense your anxiety about a potential trigger that might cause
a flare-up. I am not you, but I would imagine myself feeling tensed up having to be so cautious
with everything. I can see you have to divert your energy multiple times to deal with how angry
your skin is acting out.
By being your friend and witnessing you going through this chronicle struggle, you have taught
me to be more aware of the sensation in my body and know my own limit. Together, we stay
away from what is harmful to our body, like having too much of sugary or unhealthy food. We
enjoy food that improves our immune system, like adding garlic and fermented dishes to our
meals. We get a healthy dose of sun exposure still on our skin. We spend more time being
active so we can create more energy. We also learn to manage our stress levels so that we can
avoid another bad flare-up, and I can avoid going through being burnt out.
As I go through this with you, I feel this immense gratitude towards you, for so many reasons. I
am not always the most conscious of the choice I make, but you have shown me a path to
feel better in my body. I have also become more aware of my body sensation, of the world
around me, and how it can affect me, which helps me ground myself in the moments. By being
your friend, I admire your courage to show up even when you do not feel the most like yourself,
while still persistently managing your responsibilities outside of what you have to go through.
You also never let this condition pull you away from what you love to do and what you are good
at, no matter how uncomfortable it has tortured you. I have seen you being patient with your
process and witnessed the hope you carry with you that even this chronic symptom is
temporary.
I can never say enough about how wonderful you are, but you are always special, my blushing
friend. In this April, I just want to write you this small note to tell you things you might not have
heard me saying out loud enough. I hope it gives you a small encouragement to continue
being you!
Your best friend.
P.S: There are several places that have given me more insights about rosacea, including the
sources below:
What Can Be Done for Rosacea by Dr. Eric Berg
How To Treat Redness & Rosacea: The BEST 5 Ingredients To Reduce Redness| Dr Sam
Bunting
