Rosacea and how I treat this skin disease

Rosacea is a skin disease. A chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that causes facial redness and swollen bumps or pimples that may resemble acne.

It is more common in people with light skin and more common in women than men, but for men, the symptoms can be worse such as for example, an enlarged nose. If you have sensitive skin, that it is not the same as having Rosacea.

Treatment can help to keep Rosacea under control but currently there is no cure for it, and dermatologists don’t really know what causes Rosacea.

In the last few years, studies have shown that a microscopic organism called Demodex mite inhabits in larger numbers in rosacea skin.

I have suffered Rosacea for over 10 years no , initially I tried it all looking for a cure, but nothing worked.

In 10 years, I have seen top dermatologists working at reputable hospitals and the best advice I received was from the head of the dermatology department at one hospital who told me; “do nothing, just avoid the triggers”.

I could have had laser treatment then and there at no cost, but he was honest. He was clear the that while the laser may keep the Rosacea at bay for a while, it will not get rid of it. It would come back and the laser would actually be more damaging than beneficial to my face in the long term.

So beware about clinics offering you expensive miracle treatments if you have Rosacea and feel vulnerable about your face. Treatments won’t get rid of your Rosacea, they may make it better for a bit but it will come back.

It is best to learn and study what triggers your own Rosacea and then, do what you can to keep it under control. This includes looking after your diet and your own emotions.

Every time I try to avoid the triggers and stick to a plan, it works and I can go through periods when my Rosacea is almost unnoticeable.

Then, there are periods when nothing seems to work but these don’t last forever. Everybody is different and what triggers my rosacea may not trigger yours so best thing to do is to keep track of what causes your own symptoms.

In my experience, here are some foods and activities that trigger Rosacea:

Foods and drinks

Alcohol and particularly red wine.

I try to stick to white wine and keep my alcohol consumption to once a week or avoid altogether.

Spicy foods; things like Tabasco sauce, Jalapeño peppers, curry’s , chilli con carne and other delicious spicy food does trigger redness and pimples

Hot drinks

I have never smoked in my whole life but tobacco is always a bad idea whether you have rosacea or not.

Activities

Saunas and Jacuzzis

Heavy exercise is also a trigger as when you flush, blood rushes to your face making it warmer and red.

Weather conditions

Extremely cold or hot weather

My skin struggles more in winter than in the summer so here it can vary. Come February I need to apply loads of sun protection with at least SPF 30 to my face as the cold weather and the wind make my skin extra sensitive.

Sun protection is actually your best friend to keep your skin protected so moisturize everyday and always wear sunscreen before going outdoors.

Emotions

Try and learn ways to calm yourself before strong emotions results in a rosacea flare-up, these usually include:

Emotional Stress

Anxiety

Sudden change in emotion, particularly just before your menstruation

Other triggers:

Skin products

Try and use products that are oil, alcohol, fragrance and parabens free. I have used serums that promised me the moon and all they gave me were awful Rosacea break outs.

I also can’t use toners as they also irritate my skin.

Less is more, and there are now plenty of creams in the market suitable for Rosacea sufferers and extra sensitive skin. Beware of false advertising or extremely expensive products.

Rosacea products are not that expensive if we compare with products sold at major department stores . You can buy them in pharmacies or nowadays they are also widely available at high street stores too.

Remember that the main thing is sun protector as our skin suffers a lot throughout the seasons.

People with Rosacea also can’t tolerate a variety of skin treatments including for example, chemical peels and microdermabrasion or even exfoliating. Avoid treatments like this even if they tell you they will be okay. Only listen to a qualified dermatologist when treating your face.

There are also some Medications known to trigger Rosacea such as topical steroids.

If you have been suffering from Rosacea for a while, you probably know best what triggers yours. It is okay to sometimes live freely and forget about Rosacea so if you fancy a hot coffee or some spicy food, as long as you are emotionally okay with your face being everything but perfect for a few days, then, it is not too bad.

I now actually embrace my rosacea, if this is the worst thing that will happen to me health wise, then I will be more than happy to sign a contract to have Rosacea forever!