Take Control of Your Rosacea

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes skin redness on and around the nose. Rosacea can look like a number of other problems: blushing, acne, or even drunkenness. Have you ever seen an older person who is red in the face, and instantly assumed that he or she had been drinking? Unfortunately, sometimes that person is simply suffering from rosacea.

No one really knows what causes rosacea. In fact, a lot of people are completely unaware that it even exists!

The symptoms of rosacea can include:

Redness on the cheeks, nose, or chin. (This redness can appear in a bow-tie or butterfly pattern).
A web of broken capillaries or enlarged blood vessels.
Bumps or pimples on the face.

While little is known about what causes rosacea, we are learning more about how to control it. Apparently, once a person has rosacea, they never do get rid of it. Therefore, the only way to get rosacea under control is to understand the individual triggers that aggravate rosacea, and to avoid them.

First and foremost, take a look at what you are eating. Spicy foods and alcohol are two common food triggers, however I suggest that you keep a food diary that tracks specifically what you eat, and when your rosacea has worsened. You might find that something as innocuous as a certain kind of granola bar may make your rosacea worse!

Second, rethink your current skincare:

Do not use anything with an overwhelming fragrance
Anything with lots of good-smelling "natural" scents should also be tossed.
Do not use bar soaps or bar cleansers (Dove comes to mind) on or around the area where your rosacea presents itself.
Find a liquid cleanser that can be removed with water alone.
Do not use a wash cloth or any other mechanical exfoliant on your face. (Feel free to read my article, Exfoliation Nation, for more insight into the world of exfoliants.)
Consider switching to a mineral foundation (such as bare minerals).
Do not use water that is cold or hot - only use water that is luke warm
Do not steam your face
Do not use at-home facial peels, or at-home microdermabrasion kits
Find a sunscreen that has few ingredients and no fragrance (mineral foundation usually has a built-in SPF)
Look at your current lip balm. Does it contain camphor, menthol, peppermint, or wintergreen? I would advise finding a lip balm that doesn't make your lips tingle.
Consider using a BHA exfoliant. Because salicylic acid (BHA) is so closely related to aspirin (acetyl-salicylic acid), many individuals find that BHA soothes their rosacea. However, it does not work for all individuals. (Your mileage may vary.)
NEVER use an AHA exfoliant, unless a dermatologist suggests otherwise. These exfoliants are usually too irritating.
Avoid any steam rooms or saunas.

Of course, you will want to see a good dermatologist if you can't get the rosacea under control on your own.

Dermatologists have a vast arsenal of treatments and prescription medications that can help your rosacea. These include:

Metronidazole (a.k.a. MetroGel)
Azelaic acid
Differin
Topical erythromycin
Oral antibiotics
Laser treatments
Klaron and plexion
And in some cases, Accutane

I wish there were an easy solution to rosacea, however that is not reality. The information presented can be very overwhelming, but you need not try to implement all these changes at once. As with anything, find something you are willing to change today. Once you've implemented your first step, pick another! Everything in life is really that simple.