What Is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin condition, mainly characterized by extreme redness on the face that can flare up or worsen at certain times. Primarily affecting women, it can often be mistaken for other skin conditions such as a skin allergy, acne, or eczema; however, the condition itself must be diagnosed by a medical professional to manage.
What are the symptoms of Rosacea?
The signs and symptoms of Rosacea can vary from person to person and appear at different intensity levels.
Signs of Rosacea include:
- Redness around the nose, cheeks, and sometimes the eye area
- Skin quickly becomes flushed and warm
- Hot, irritated skin
- Visible blood vessels on the skin
- Many small bumps on the skin
- Lumps containing pus resembling acne
Suppose you have severe or persistent symptoms or signs of Rosacea around the eye. In that case, we recommend seeing your GP to ensure it's nothing more serious. They may refer you to a dermatologist or prescribe certain medications to help manage symptoms.
What causes Rosacea?
It's important to remember that Rosacea is not caused by poor hygiene, so over-cleansing or exfoliating (trying to keep the skin 'clean') is often unlikely to help. It could cause more damage to already-sensitive skin. Usually, Rosacea runs in the family or could result from underlying factors like an issue with the blood vessels in the face or certain bacteria in your gut.
Rosacea is most common in women with lighter skin aged 30 to 50 that usually have others in the family with the same condition – but it can occur in anyone.
Triggers of rosacea flare-ups can be different for everyone. They may include -
- Alcohol, hot drinks, or caffeine
- Certain foods like spicy foods or cheese
- Exercise
- Stress and anxiety
- Very cold weather exposure
- Extra hot showers
- Certain skincare or cosmetic products
- Sun exposure
How to manage Rosacea,
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Rosacea; however, it is possible to reduce or minimise symptoms with proper care. To correctly manage Rosacea, it's essential to be diagnosed and have an appropriate skincare regime so that symptoms don't worsen over time, causing long-term damage to the skin.
Here are a few ways that you can manage Rosacea symptoms:
- Prescribed treatments: your GP or dermatologist may suggest treatments based on the severity of your symptoms. These may include topical creams or antibiotics.
- Avoiding triggers: once you've identified certain things that cause a flare-up, you'll want to avoid that as much as possible.
- Adopting suitable skin care practice: caring for the skin properly can help prevent symptoms from worsening.
The best skin care for Rosacea
Having the proper skincare routine is essential for caring for your skin when you have Rosacea. This will help care for and calm the skin rather than worsen symptoms.
- Sun protection: sun protection is essential for those with Rosacea. Always use an SPF 30+ when going outside, wear a hat and try to minimise any direct exposure to the sun on your face if you can.
- Avoid over-cleansing or exfoliating: scrubbing the skin or using harsh chemical or physical exfoliants may irritate the skin or damage the surface – causing more redness. Use a gentle, foam-free cleanser to remove makeup, dirt, and excess oil without causing stress to the skin.
- Use gentle skincare products: avoid ingredients like alcohol (drying), fragrances, and potentially irritating natural ingredients like witch hazel, a common irritant. We'd recommend oil-free, fragrance-free, water-based skin care.
- Keep the skin hydrated: always apply a moisturizer after cleansing to help maintain hydration, soothe any dry patches, soothe the skin and protect from the elements. It can also be beneficial to apply a non-irritating face mask to boost hydration levels further.
Discover our Collagen Essence Hydrating Face Mask – scientifically developed to be compatible with all skin types and provide maximum hydration to the skin with minimal irritation. This mask is the perfect addition to your skincare routine if you have a condition like Rosacea. It helps hydrate and maintain the skin's barrier, protecting it from the elements and boosting moisture to its optimum level.
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