I’d never even heard of Rosacea until my late 30’s when I began to notice a persistent redness around the ‘t-section’ of my face which was subsequently diagnosed as Rosacea.
Rosacea can often be triggered by stress or anxiety, this was the case for me as my husband had been diagnosed with a serious illness around the same time. Commonly mistaken for acne Rosacea tends to manifest itself in the cheeks, chin, forehead and nose area and can be identified by crops of small inflamed red bumps and pus spots.
As it’s often mistaken for other skin irritations Rosacea can be difficult to spot but typical symptoms include a red and flushed face, coupled with a burning sensation that can also feel very itchy.
The actual cause of Rosacea is not absolutely clear but evidently it affects more women than men and particularly those with fair skin who tend to flush easily. Although not the root cause there are many things that can make Rosacea worse including alcohol, exercise, extremities of temperature, spicy foods, stress and even tomatoes.
As someone who suffers from Rosacea I highly advise that if you think you may have it then early diagnosis and treatment is definitely the best policy so go to your GP and get it checked out. Rosacea isn’t pleasant and although not curable it is eminently controllable so don’t suffer in silence.
I’ve put together a list of useful hints and tips to make Rosacea easier to live with:
1. Keep a diary for a month so that you track what sets off the Rosacea and then once you’ve highlighted these try to reduce either your intake if it’s diet related or make changes to your lifestyle if it’s to do with sun or the environment.
2. Protect your skin from the sun by using a sunblock every day (at least SPF15) even on shady days.
3. Don’t rub or scrub your skin as this can make Rosacea worse.
4. Cosmetics can cause Rosacea to flare up so review your skincare routine so do check with your GP first to ensure that your skincare routine is compatible with your Rosacea. There are many companies specialising in natural products which are ideal for treating Rosacea so take a look online.
5. Choose fragrance free skincare and make-up products and ensure that you try them on a small patch on your face first – if your skin become irritated avoid using them again.
6. Avoid extremities of temperature, such as hot baths and showers, as this is likely to cause the Rosacea to flare up.
7. For men it’s advisable to use an electric razor for shaving and also avoid any lotions that burn or sting your skin.
Lisa
I have always had hyper-sensitive skin, particularly on my face, resulting in areas of itchy, dry eczema which now has been diagnosed as Rosacea along with the eczema. Also a close family member was diagnosed with a Maligant Melanoma skin cancer in 2007 forcing the whole family to become more aware of the effects the sun can have on our skin and how chemotherapy and other cancer treatments has such an effect on your skin too. I have subsequently spent time investigating the sun screen market to not only provide the right protection, but won’t cause skin irritation along with moisturisers and other products for after and during cancer treatment. I am not a medic; I am a mum with many years’ experience of having to deal with skin problems and www.pureandgentle.com was started because of this to find non- irritant products, research and information all in one place. I have found small tricks that can help along the way which I can share with you and hopefully relieve some of your problems with your skin.
Join with Google
Join with Facebook
Hi LIsa,
I have met thousands of people just like you. I have such great experiences with people with Skin conditions that i actually amazed when i come across a person without any condition. All in all i find that attitudes play a very important part and your attitude seems enough to control your condition. Good luck.
on July 17, 2012 at 7:17 am DipakI now have a business for skin problem suffers and have spent many hours researching information which is now on the site. I can’t believe how many people I come across suffer with Rosacea which isn’t talked about enough and the stigma that goes with it.
on July 17, 2012 at 8:37 am Lisa Clunie