Rosy cheeks may make you look healthy, but too much redness in the face can be a sign of a common skin problem. Rosacea usually appears between the ages of 30 and 60 and can last a lifetime. Individuals with this condition may tend to blush easily, develop red skin patches, pimples, and thickened skin. Spider veins may appear on the nose and cheeks. Rosacea can also affect one's eyes, making them red, irritated, dry, or watery. It’s more common among women, and it tends to hit fair-skinned people of northern or eastern European descent. That’s where rosacea gets its nickname, “curse of the Celts.”
There is no cure for rosacea, but doctors prescribe antibiotic and anti-inflammatory pills and creams to treat the acne, skin infections, and redness. Laser treatments can erase spider veins and correct thickened skin. You can avoid flare-ups by finding your personal triggers and staying away from problem foods and situations. A little attention can raise your self-esteem and transform your face to look how you want it to.
Rosacea Causes and Triggers
When it comes to rosacea, everyone is different. Certain foods, drinks, and activities cause flare-ups for some people, but they may not affect others. Common troublemakers include hot or spicy foods, liver, dairy products, some vegetables and fruits, red wine, beer, and hot drinks like tea and coffee. A survey found emotional stress is a problem for 91 percent of people with rosacea. Using household sprays with chemicals, like window cleaner, or hairspray can also cause a flare-up. But there is no one-size-fits-all plan, since your personal triggers may differ from those that cause flare-ups in others. The National Rosacea Society suggests you pay attention to these areas of your life each day to find a link between what you do and when your rosacea acts up.
- What was the weather like? Sunny? Windy? Cold? Hot?
- Did you eat spicy foods?
- What did you drink? Hot coffee or tea? Alcoholic drinks like beer or wine?
- Did you exercise or do physical work like gardening or lifting?
- Were you upset or under stress by something that happened?
- Did you take a hot bath or shower?
- Were you in a heated building?
- What lotions, soaps, makeup, or other products did you use on your face?
- Did you follow your doctor’s orders?
Natural redness relief
Rosacea is a long-lasting problem that can come and go, and some people get tired of using prescription drugs that irritate their skin. Many alternative treatments are available, some promising to soothe redness and inflammation with natural ingredients. Let your doctor know if you use alternative remedies so they can monitor them with your other treatments. Some options include:
- Prevent symptoms with green tea. Several compounds in green tea have well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Because of this, green tea extract may protect your overly sensitive skin from dam- aging ultraviolet rays, making you less likely to develop unsightly symptoms. Green tea may also make spider veins less noticeable. Look for skin care products that contain green tea extract in your pharmacy or at the cosmetics counter of your local department store.
- Battle redness with licorice extract. Researchers tested an extract from the licorice plant’s roots, in products for people with reddened skin or rosacea. After eight weeks, their redness improved and their skin problems bothered them less.
- Calm irritation with oatmeal. Just as eating oatmeal can calm your nerves, spreading products containing powdered oatmeal on your skin is also soothing. A common ingredient in lotions and other skin care products, oatmeal can fight irritation, itching, and dryness. It even has the endorsement of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which calls it a “skin protectant.”
You can get a free diary booklet from the National Rosacea Society to keep track of your personal triggers. Go to www.rosacea.org for a free download or fill out a quick form to receive a copy of the diary by US mail.