Royal Baby Rosacea Alert: Can the Future Monarch Escape the Windsor Couperose Skin Curse?

A glowing Duchess of Cambridge.

Princess Kate looks more radiant than usual. It's most likely due to the fact that she's expecting the arrival of her first child with Prince William in July. Buckingham Palace has yet to announce the gender of the baby, so royal oddsmakers continue to wager if the future monarch will be a king or a queen.

One could also speculate whether the new British bundle of joy will possess a genetic predisposition toward developing rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha). Prince William has a mild case of the chronic skin condition, which causes inflammation and redness in the cheeks, nose and forehead. So, although it appears he may spend too much time in the sun or blush easily, his ruddy complexion instead indicates a common symptom of the disorder.

Rosacea afflicts approximately 45 million people around the world--especially those of Northern European descent. Prince William inherited it from his father, Prince Charles, and mother, the late Princess Diana. Both have shown signs of flushed cheeks and an overall reddened appearance. Other famous sufferers include Wills' brother Prince Harry, former president Bill Clinton, Cameron Diaz, Clint Eastwood and comedian Ricky Gervais.

Researchers still don't know what causes rosacea. However, it may be triggered by sun exposure, exercise, alcohol consumption, hot weather, spicy foods and stress--all of which the new princess or prince will experience in good measure during his or her royal duties. 

No cure exists for rosacea, but mild cases of the condition can be controlled with the appropriate skin creams and serums. April marks National Rosacea Awareness Month, so we'd like to present the latest products formulated to help minimize symptoms in honor of the observance. 

Here's hoping the new heir to the throne will escape the royal rosacea curse. For more information, please feel free to contact the National Rosacea Society.

Photo by TheMatthewSlack
Prince William's flushed face often matches the red carpets where he makes appearances.

Photo by Dan Marsh
Although Prince William's father, Prince Charles, enjoys lots of outdoor activities, his ruddy complexion can most likely be attributed to a royal case of rosacea.

Women all over the world were red with envy when Princess Diana danced a duet with John Travolta in 1985, but her couperose skin condition caused her cheeks to look like they were blushing.

SHINE: Osmotics Cosmeceuticals Blue Copper 5 Molecular Repair Treatment. BEAUTY: Diminish redness, soothe irritation and stimulate the skin's natural repair process with copper peptide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins A, B5 and E. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no parabens.

SHINE: Pevonia Botanica Ligne Rose RS2 Concentrate and Ligne Rose RS2 Care Cream. BEAUTY: Green tea, chamomile and licorice extracts, safflower seed and hazel nut oils, and vitamin E strengthen capillaries, decongest your complexion and control blotchiness. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports the Beauty Bus Foundation.

SHINE: Sanitas Skincare Rosacea Serum. BEAUTY: Improve circulation and support blood vessel stability with vitamins A, C, E, D and K. BEACON: Free of parabens. Supports the Cinderella Foundation. 

SHINE: Sumbody Avocado Honey Soy Polishing Paste and Simple Solution Face Serum. BEAUTY: The paste gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin to soothe and calm redness, while the serum utilizes jojoba, carrot and tamanu oils to minimize inflammation. BEACON: Contains no parabens, animal oils, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates or artificial preservatives. 


A royal flush of faces.