Rosacea is an inflammatory skin condition affecting the face. It can present as red flushing, pimples, burning/stinging sensation, and enlarged blood vessels. It starts to affect men and women in their thirties.
Rosacea cause is still unknown, but there are many things that can worsen this condition such as food, drinks, life style, and skin care products. Great resource for those who suffer with Rosacea is www.rosacea.org, it the official page of Rosacea Society where you can get very detailed information about this skin condition.
When I diagnose my patients with Rosacea I spend a lot of time discussing possible triggers. Below are some of them.
Food
· Chocolate
· Cheese(except cottage cheese)
· Eggplant
· Avacado
· Tomato
· Spinach
· Plums/raisins/figs
· Sourcream/yogurt
Drinks
· Coffee
· Tea
· Hot Chocolate
· Alcohol especially red wine
Life style
· Sun exposure
· Exsercise
· Hot showers
· Coughing
· Asthma
Some people who have Rosacea have been found to have SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. I refer my patients to a gastroenterologist to be checked for this and receive treatment if needed.
There are a lot of things to avoid and of course it can be difficult to do that. Easier triggers to limit are prolonged sun exposure and hot showers and saunas. Prescription medication is still often needed to control this chronic condition.
To help keep your condition from looking red and inflamed and control flare ups you need a good skin care routine besides Rx medications.
First is a gentle cleanser. I recommend CeraVe foaming cleanser for sensitive skin or La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating cleanser.
For the morning use JanMarini Rosalieve cream. It’s formulated with Azelaic acid which helps to gently exfoliate and calm down inflammation.
Finish it off with Elta Md Tinted Sun Block for acne prone skin. Presence of Niacinamide in this sun block will help further improve inflammation of the skin.
At night, after washing your skin with above suggested cleansers you can then use Phyto Corrective Gel by SkinCeuticals. Its calming botanical ingredients such as cucumber, thyme, and bear berry extracts will do wonders for Rosacea prone skin.
Two-Three times a week treat your skin to Phyto Corrective Masque. My patients absolutely love it for its soothing effect.
You can always schedule an appointment where I can review your skin care routine and we can go over best options of treatment for you.