What is rosacea?
Rosacea is a common chronic, but treatable skin condition that usually affects the face. However, skin on the neck, ears, chest, or scalp may be affected, too. In rare cases, people have experienced rosacea symptoms on other parts of their body. It generally occurs in people with fair skin between the ages of 30 to 60 years old but can affect all skin types and age groups. This condition tends to be more common in women, however, it can also affect men and they do seem to suffer with the condition more severely. This condition can persist for a long time and the severity tends to fluctuate in each individual case. The pattern for rosacea is likened to the shape of a butterfly, typically affecting the cheeks, forehead, chin and nose and is characterised by persistent redness caused by dilated blood vessels, small bumps and pus-filled spots, similar to acne.
Our genetics, immune system and environmental factors all play a huge part in triggering a case of rosacea, which causes the blood vessels in the skin of the face to dilate. But whilst the cause is unknown and there is no cure, knowledge of its signs and symptoms has advanced and flare ups can be controlled by medication and/or lifestyle changes.
What triggers rosacea?
As mentioned, there is no sound research for the causes of rosacea, but there are many known triggers. These include alcohol, exercise, high and low temperatures, hot drinks, spicy foods and stress. Rosacea can also be sun sensitive.
Alcohol
Alcohol can be a huge trigger of rosacea by dilating the blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the face and causing facial flushing. It is advised to limit alcohol intake and in particular, red wine, as this is known as the biggest alcohol trigger.
Alcohol based skincare products should also be avoided as these can trigger a breakout.
Exercise
Intense exercise elevates your heart rate, which is great, but it also causes flushing due to increased blood flow to the skin.
Exercise is obviously highly recommended, but ensure you keep hydrated and if exercising outdoors, ensure you are wearing a SPF (even during winter months)
Changes in seasons/temperatures
People who suffer from rosacea tend to have sensitive skin on top of their condition, so severe changes in temperature can play havoc with their skin. We advise you wear a daily SPF50 and a barrier cream for protection during winter months.
Many people suffering with rosacea will have visible blood vessels under their reddened skin and this is thought to be increased by UV exposure and may cause further visible blood vessels, so daily application of SPF50 it extremely important.
Diet
Spicy foods and hot drinks are two of the diet-related items that might trigger rosacea symptoms, due to their inflammatory factors. Good news for coffee drinkers though; coffee is known to decrease vasodilation and have immunosuppressant effects, which can decrease the effects of rosacea.
It is a good idea to consider keeping track of the foods you eat, and which ones appear to cause flare ups.
Skincare & Hair Products
Certain ingredients found in skin and hair products may be too harsh for sensitive skin and can aggravate rosacea symptoms. Avoid products containing ingredients such as alcohol, fragrance, sodium lauryl sulphate, menthol and lactic acid. Stick to fragrance free, hypoallergenic and paraben free products ranges.
Stress
Emotional stress is one of the leading triggers of rosacea flare-ups, whilst it’s impossible to do away with stress entirely, you don’t have to constantly live with it. Meditating, or participating in other relaxing activities like yoga, may help you to keep stress levels in check and ensure you are getting enough sleep.
Solutions
Many people don’t want to take medication long term. There are solutions that can help improve the condition drastically, eliminate it completely, or at the very least, reduce the occurrence of flare ups. Alongside making the changes to your lifestyle and daily routine, there are many soothing products & treatments on the market to help treat rosacea. Our top recommendations are noted below.
Skincare recommendations:
Niacinamide– Also known as vitamin B3 which is an anti-inflammatory.
Azelaic Acid – This naturally occurring acid helps soothe the skin, thereby reducing redness, while treating whiteheads and other blemishes.
Moisturiser – Cream based moisturiser is recommended over a gel, or lotion. This will reduce irritation and ensure your skin has a thicker protective barrier.
Ranges we recommend:
Clinicare – Pure range
La Roche Posay – Rosaliac range
Eucerin – Anti-Redness
Supplements we recommend
Solgar Niacin Vitamin B3 – Anti-inflammatory
Solgar Vitamin C – Healing and repairing
Solgar Zinc – Healing and repairing
Solgar Vitamin A – Promotes skincell growth and repairing
Treatment recommendations:
LED Light Therapy
LED light therapy is a revolutionary, non-invasive and effective method for providing popular and results-driven skin treatments. It can be integrated into a number of treatments or used on its own and has no known side effects.
The LED light penetrates the skin at different levels, providing effective acne treatment and combating hyperpigmentation. The LED can also be used for increasing oxygen levels in the skin, which helps to improve blood circulation, preventing skin breakouts.
LED Light Therapy is a gentle, heat-free treatment that does not contain harmful ultraviolet wavelengths so it cannot damage skin tissue. It is clinically proven to be safe for all skin types, colours and conditions, with no downtime or risk of unwanted side effects.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a collagen induction therapy, which is a non-surgical and non-ablative treatment. It uses small needles to cause slight voluntary trauma to the skin (little pin pricks). This encourages the body to create a wound healing response and renew skin cells. This has a variety of benefits for the skin including repairing & healing damaged skin, regenerating new skin cells, reducing redness, improving skin tone & texture and brighter complexion. Immediate results are visible; however, a course of treatments is recommended to achieve maximum results.
Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy solutions are recommended for anti-ageing, skin rejuvenation and hyperpigmentation treatment. They contain a mixture of skin rejuvenating and antioxidant ingredients, which combat the loss of native hyaluronic acid and collagen fibres by moisturising and firming the skin. The Mesotherapy solution is applied with a syringe in conjunction with the Raffine microneedling therapy system.