Understanding Rosacea: A Guide to Symptoms, Triggers, and Management

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Often misunderstood and under-diagnosed, it presents with various symptoms, including facial flushing, inflammation, skin sensitivity, and sometimes small fluid filled pustules. While it primarily impacts the face, it can also affect other areas like the neck, chest, scalp, and eyes.

What Causes Rosacea?

Genetics plays a significant role in rosacea, with fair-skinned individuals of Celtic or northern European descent being more prone to it. Additionally, a mite called Demodex follicularum, which resides in the sebaceous glands of all individuals, is found in higher numbers in those with rosacea. These mites might contribute to the development of the condition. Moreover, people with rosacea have elevated levels of inflammatory peptides in their skin, potentially exacerbating symptoms.

Types of Rosacea

Rosacea manifests in four main types:

1. Vascular or Flushing Rosacea: Characterized by red areas on the face and visible blood vessels.

2. Inflammatory or Papulopustular Rosacea: In addition to facial redness, it includes red bumps and pus-filled spots.

3. Phymatous Rosacea: Results in thickened skin, particularly on the nose.

4. Ocular Rosacea: Inflammation affects the eyes and eyelids, causing watering, redness, and itching.

Distinguishing Rosacea from Acne

While rosacea, especially Type 2, may resemble acne, there are notable differences:

1. Oil Production: Unlike acne, rosacea isn't associated with imbalances in sebum production, quality and particular bacterial imbalances.

2. Blood vessels: Acne does not affect the blood vessels and create cause flushing.

3, Location: Acne is isolated to areas of sebum glands to the skin and will not affect the eyes, unlike type 3 rosacea.

Managing Rosacea

While rosacea isn't curable, flare-ups can be managed through trigger avoidance and various treatment options tailored to individual needs. These may include topical agents like metronidazole, azelaic acid, and ivermectin cream, as well as oral medications like antibiotics or isotretinoin in severe cases. Vascular laser therapies can also help reduce redness and visible blood vessels. Discover the top rosacea products handpicked by our expert Corneotherapist Krystyna, available at The Bright Side here.

General Skincare Tips

Maintaining a gentle skincare routine is essential for managing rosacea:

- Use soap-free cleansers with a balanced pH to avoid drying out the skin.

- Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen regularly, preferably containing physical blockers like zinc oxide.

- Moisturize the skin to alleviate dryness and inflammation.

- Avoid emulsifiers and silicones in skin care products to avoid daming your skin barrier.

- Consider gentle forms of Vitamin A, such as retinol palmatate and niacinamide to improve skin texture and hydration.

What to Avoid and Triggers

Rosacea-prone skin is highly sensitive, making it susceptible to various triggers such as sunlight, stress, heat, alcohol (especially red wine), spicy foods, certain skincare products, and environmental factors like wind and cold.

Certain products and practices can exacerbate rosacea symptoms, including sunburn, harsh cleansers, toners, abrasive scrubs, steroids, fragranced skincare, silicones, emulsifiers and alpha hydroxy acids.

A proper skin care routine to support the skin barrier and anti-inflammatory actions can go a long way in managing rosacea flares, however if despite implementary a skin routine that suits your skin needs it may be worthwhile evaluating underlying causes such as dietary habits, gastrointetinal health, metabolic health and risk of inflammatory triggers.

Understanding rosacea's symptoms, triggers, and management strategies can empower individuals to effectively navigate and mitigate its impact on their skin health and overall well-being. If you suspect you have rosacea, book a corneotherapy consultation for personalised guidance and treatment recommendations.