Scientists do not know what causes rosacea, but there are a number of theories. They know that inflammation contributes to some of the key symptoms, such as skin redness and rash, but they do not fully understand why inflammation occurs. It may in part be due to the heightened skin sensitivity in people with rosacea, to environmental stressors, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, and TO microbes that inhabit the skin. Both genetic and environmental (nongenetic) factors likely play a role in the development of rosacea.