Rosacea is a common dermatological disease that affects people of all ages. It often manifests itself as redness, erythema and reddish changes in the skin, which worsen over time if left untreated. Although there is no cure, you can keep rosacea under control by minimizing the risk of breakouts and treating the acute phases.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Minimize Outbreaks
Step 1. Avoid triggers
Doctors are not sure of the root causes of the disease, but they know that some factors can trigger the acute phases or make the situation worse. Most of the time, rashes are due to increased blood supply to the surface of the skin. Avoid some of the items described below, which can make rosacea worse:
- Very hot food and drinks;
- Spicy foods;
- Alcoholic beverages;
- Sunlight;
- Stress, embarrassment or anger
- Physical activity or vigorous training
- Hot baths and showers, saunas;
- Medicines such as corticosteroids and to control blood pressure;
- Wind;
- Cold climate;
- Humidity;
- Some cosmetics and skin care products.
Step 2. Protect the skin
By exposing the skin to the climatic elements, you can trigger the acute phases and aggravate the disease. By protecting yourself from the sun, wind and cold, you can minimize breakouts and control rosacea.
- Apply a sunscreen with a minimum factor of 30 and that filters out both UVA and UVB rays. Remember to smear it often.
- Keep your skin cool by shielding yourself from direct sunlight, using the fan, and staying in air-conditioned rooms during the summer.
- Put a scarf over your face or a balaclava in the winter months to protect your skin from wind and cold.
- It is preferable to use sunscreens that contain silicones such as dimethicone and cyclomethicone rather than alcohol-based formulations.
Step 3. Use mild cleansers
Wash your face and areas prone to the disease with neutral soaps. In this way, you not only avoid the acute phases, but also reduce the risk of breakouts or infections because you get rid of the bacteria present on the epidermis.
- Use a small amount of a mild cleanser with a neutral pH, such as Dove or Cetaphil.
- Look for fragrance-free and allergy tested products. Remember that "hypoallergenic" is not the same as "allergy tested", which is what you should buy.
- Use your fingertips to wash yourself; avoid using a cloth or sponge as they irritate the skin.
- Rinse with warm water to avoid redness, irritation and not to eliminate all the sebum.
- Pat your skin dry.
- Consider getting a patch test before using a product to make sure you don't experience any adverse reactions.
- Avoid rubbing too hard or mechanically. It is advisable to use non-cleansing soaps, beauty soaps, delicate soaps and liquid face cleansers. You should avoid topical products that can irritate the skin, such as tonics, astringents, and chemical exfoliating agents.
Step 4. Moisturize the skin
Doctors are convinced that hydration not only creates a protective barrier that prevents acute phases, but is also able to alleviate the ailment. Apply a specific moisturizer to your skin after bathing.
- Ask your dermatologist to suggest or prescribe a cream that's right for you. There are many products available on the market specifically for people with rosacea.
- Before applying the cream, wait ten minutes after bathing or applying a medicine to reduce the stinging or burning sensation.
- Apply it frequently. Emollients help restore the skin's lipid barrier and may prove beneficial against rosacea. In one study, constant application of a moisturizer with metronidazole helped relieve symptoms of skin sensitivity.
- Consider buying an emollient cream that contains a broad spectrum sunscreen. These multi-purpose products minimize the risk of breakouts.
Step 5. Pay attention to known irritants
Studies have shown that certain ingredients in skin products can irritate skin or trigger the acute stages of rosacea. By reading the labels you can avoid some outbursts. Pay attention to:
- Alcohol;
- Witch hazel;
- Perfumes;
- Menthol;
- Mint;
- Eucalyptus oil;
- Exfoliating agents.
Step 6. Keep your hands and fingers away from the skin
By touching and rubbing yourself, you irritate your skin and cause breakouts. Make a conscious effort not to touch your face or other areas affected by rosacea.
- Do not tease or squeeze any lesions caused by the disease that may look like acne.
- Do not rest your chin or face on your hands.
Part 2 of 2: Managing the Outbreaks and Acute Phases
Step 1. Go to the dermatologist
If you have a particularly severe rash, can't control your active phases, or aren't sure if you have rosacea, make an appointment with your doctor. He will be able to suggest specific treatment for the disease you suffer from. There are four variants of rosacea:
- Erythemato-telangiectatic: characterized by persistent redness of the face or blood vessels visible on the surface of the skin;
- Papulo-pustular: it manifests itself with constant redness of the face, papules and acne-like pimples;
- Phimatous - the skin seems thickened and dilated, in men it often affects the nose (rhinophyma);
- Ocular: affects the eyes which are always watery and red; the patient complains of a foreign body sensation, burning or stinging pain, dryness, itching, blurry vision and photophobia.
Step 2. Apply an emollient cream to the skin
There is some evidence that a prescription emollient product can regenerate the skin of rosacea patients. Use one of these creams in addition to your regular moisturizer to control and prevent acute phases.
Read the product label to make sure it contains emollient agents. These include lanolin, sunflower oil, vegetable stearin and soy sterol
Step 3. Take medication
Many people need medicinal therapy and avoidance of triggers to keep rosacea at bay. By taking or applying prescription medications, it is possible to manage inflammation and any infections that develop during the acute phases of most variants of rosacea. The two types of medicines that the dermatologist might prescribe are:
- Antibiotics: These are often lotions, gels or creams that manage inflammation. Before applying them, wait half an hour after washing your face to minimize the burning sensation. Oral antibiotics may be slightly more effective, but come with more side effects. Metronidazole is an antibiotic that has been shown to be effective in treating rosacea, particularly against papules or pustules.
- Acne medications. Many dermatologists prescribe isotretinoin, a medicine that is typically used in severe cases of cystic acne, but which helps to control papulopustular rosacea outbreaks. Do not use this active ingredient if you are pregnant because it has a teratogenic effect. Acne medications such as topical retinoids can cause skin irritation.
Step 4. Undergo surgery
In some cases, including those in which skin thickening or dilation of blood vessels occurs, surgery is required. Only consider this option if conventional treatments have not led to the desired results.
- Do dermabrasion to get rid of thickened skin.
- Reduce the visibility of capillaries, thick skin or tissue hypertrophy with laser or electrosurgery.
- Discuss other surgical options, such as cryotherapy, radiofrequency ablation, and skin transplantation, with your dermatologist if you are not comfortable with laser procedures or electrosurgery.
Step 5. Take probiotics
Recent research has shown that the use of probiotics can help against rosacea. They come in both topical and oral formulations and can help you manage breakouts as well as prevent them.
- Apply a probiotic cream, mask, or cleanser. All these products protect, calm and repair the skin from acute phases.
- Take oral probiotics that are often available in supplements containing lactobacilli and / or bifidobacteria. You can buy them in all pharmacies and health food stores.
Step 6. Try yogurt
There is some evidence that this food is effective in controlling rosacea. Try to eat one every day containing live lactic ferments or use the Greek one as a face mask.
- Read the label to make sure the yogurt contains live cultures, because only this type of product is effective for this dermatological disorder.
- Put the Greek yogurt on the skin as if it were a mask. Currently, there are no formal studies regarding the effectiveness of this remedy, but dermatologists have found that their patients have enjoyed some benefits.
- Yogurt masks moisturize the skin, calm and soothe the symptoms of rosacea.
Step 7. Keep your skin well hydrated
Many dermatologists believe that adequate skin hydration is the main factor in managing the disease. Remember to apply an emollient product even during the acute phases, to heal quickly and reduce the chances of relapses.
- Choose a fragrance-free, allergen-free product to use while venting to avoid further irritating the area.
- By hydrating yourself every day, you create a moisture barrier that protects the skin from triggers and irritants.
Step 8. Take a supplement
Again, there is no clinical evidence to prove efficacy, but you can give it a try by pairing the supplements with other treatments. Consider taking:
- A product with γ-linolenic acid such as oenothera or black currant oil. Take 500 mg twice a day and know that it takes at least six weeks for you to notice any results.
- Herbal supplements with ginger or turmeric. You can also use them in the kitchen.
Step 9. Consider alternative therapies
There is evidence that alternative treatments can control rosacea, breakouts and prevent acute phases. Take them into consideration, but discuss them with your dermatologist first. Here are some suggestions:
- Colloidal Silver;
- Emu oil;
- Laurel;
- Oregano oil;
- Vitamin K;
- An anti-inflammatory diet can also prove helpful.
