Rosacea is a very common skin condition that affects as much as nearly 10% of the population. Generally, it develops during the 20s or teenage years. The condition worsens once the person reaches his/her 30s and 40s. As far as modern medicine is concerned, it is believed that there is no real cure for the condition. So, once you are affected by rosacea, you are likely to experience flare-ups every now and then.
A lot of people struggle with controlling the symptoms of their rosacea. However, there are a few who have prevented their symptoms from reappearing completely by clearing up their skin through some lifestyle changes, while perhaps taking medications as well. If you have tried several creams, pills, and lotions with not much success, you should know that there are certain holistic steps that you can take to deal with rosacea. This way, you can prevent the condition from causing embarrassing and painful redness, irritation and breakouts.
The Causes of Rosacea
Rosacea is basically a kind of facial skin inflammation. It is still unknown exactly what is the series of reaction that results in the development of this skin condition. However, it has been seen that an overactive immune system and heightened levels of inflammation seems to trigger rosacea to a certain extent. This is why some people follow the anti-inflammatory diet for controlling the severity of symptoms. Since inflammation is the underlying cause of the condition, it would be good to know what causes it in the first place. There are some factors that might have a possible contribution to rosacea development. These include:
- Sun damage
- Issues with blood vessels in the skin
- Inflammation within the connective tissue of the skin
- Side effects and reactions to specific medication
- There is a genetic factor involved with subtypes of rosacea. So, it might run in the family.
- People with sensitive and light skin and light eyes are more prone to having rosacea.
- It is more common among women than men. In fact, there are reports that the number of women having rosacea is thrice the number of men having it.
- In contradiction to the popular belief, rosacea is not actually caused due to excessive drinking. However, the condition does worsen when the person drinks alcohol.
- Emotional factors like stress, fear, anxiety, embarrassment, etc. are known to cause blushing, which can result in condition getting worse.
Triggers of Rosacea
As far as skin flare-ups are concerned, be it rosacea or any other skin condition like acne, eczema, etc., there are usually certain specific triggers that cause the emerging of symptoms. There are some common triggers associated with rosacea. So, if you are looking to deal with the condition, you might want to start by making some changes to your lifestyle. Some common triggers include:
- Extremes in temperature, weather (sun, cold, strong winds), physical activity are known to cause rosacea flares. One thing you can do to control such triggers is to avoid extreme temperature. For example, you can use a frozen water bottle to press on your neck while working out to control flushing.
- Another factor that is known to exacerbate rosacea is emotional problems like anxiety and stress. Obviously, it is hard to control such a trigger, but you can try out relaxation techniques, particularly if you think stress is one of your primary triggers. You can practice deep breathing to reduce your stress levels.
- Foods such as dairy products, vanilla, chocolate, soy sauce, eggplant, vinegar, tomatoes, bananas, avocados, etc. are also known to trigger rosacea. Along with that, alcoholic beverages like red wine, bourbon, beer, vodka, gin, and champagne can also be a trigger. Hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are also known to aggravate the condition. So, you should try to avoid them as much as possible.
- Even your skin care routine can have a negative effect on your rosacea. If any product that you use causes stinging or redness, you should immediately consider eliminating the particular product out of your skincare routine. Products containing fragrance, alcohol and witch hazel are known to cause issues. You should basically avoid any product that might irritate your skin, be it toners, scrubs, astringents, retinoids or anything else.
Rosacea Treatment
t possible to completely eliminate rosacea, there are certain effective treatments for the condition that can help relieve the associated symptoms. Mostly, an effective treatment for rosacea would be one that involves a combination of certain prescription medication along with making lifestyle changes. You might also be advised to use some specific sunscreen, mild cleansers, moisturizer and other skin care products for improving the skin health of the affected individual. Using best face moisturizers for rosacea is a must if you are suffering from the condition.
The treatment for rosacea depends on what the dermatologist recommends and how serious the condition is. Using topical medication is amongst the most effective treatments for rosacea. Such sort of medications is applied to skin one or two times daily for reducing inflammation and redness. Topical medications might also be used in combination with oral medication for relieving the symptoms.
No matter which way you choose to treat rosacea, you will have to make certain changes to your lifestyle if you want the treatment to be effective. Some lifestyle changes may include:
- Drinking plenty of water every day is known to alleviate symptoms of rosacea
- You should avoid stress and keep calm. This can help you prevent flare-ups.
- Reducing the intake, or perhaps even completely avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, tea, soda, and coffee can help in controlling the symptoms of the condition.
- Early morning exercising, swimming in the chlorinated pool, in particular, might be helpful
- You should avoid germs from breeding by change body and face towels every time after you use it.
- Try to keep the exposure to the sun at a minimum. You should use sunglasses, hats, umbrellas, and sunscreen whenever you go out in the sun.
Even though there is no particular cure for rosacea, you can incorporate these changes to control the symptoms.