Taking Care of Your Rosacea
You have rosacea. It is embarrassing. You feel like you cannot feel emotions such as anger or to be stressed out without a telltale blush giving your condition away. You’ve been to the doctor and have been given medications to take orally and to put on your face. The doctor has given you a list of self-care steps to follow at home that will help you to minimize the rosacea. Because this condition is so embarrassing you will do anything to minimize the hold it has on your social and school/work life. You vow to follow the list religiously.
Self-care Steps for rosacea:
Follow instructions on the medications prescribed for you by your doctor. Take the medication for the duration of the prescribed time.
Notify the doctor if your symptoms worsen.
Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.
Those who wear makeup should use either yellow or green-tinted pre-foundation creams or powders that are made to counter the affects of reddened skin. Pre-foundation goes on your skin prior to using makeup.
Try not to overheat your body.
When using facial products make sure they are labeled as “non-comedogenic”. These products are designed to not clog your pores.
Always apply facial moisture only after any facial medications that you have applied have dried.
Stay away from any facial products that contain alcohol or other skin irritants.
The most important way to help you to control your rosacea flare-ups is to understand what triggers it. In order to discover your triggers, keep a journal, recording what you did just prior to noticing the signs or symptoms of rosacea. Remember what you did or what happened. Did you take a hot shower after gym? Did a cute guy talk to you and make you blush? Did you over-exert yourself playing tennis? What ever it was that you did or experienced (anger, stress, embarrassment) write it down. Each time a new flare-up occurs if you are diligent about writing in your journal, soon you should see a pattern. Think about every product you put on your face (makeup, moisturizer, cleanser) and check the label for alcohol or any other skin irritants. Avoid these products in the future and do not use any that you have presently around the house. Ask your doctor or dermatologist for a list of safe facial products including moisturizers.
Skin irritants can cause skin damage in two ways: cause direct damage as they are applied to the skin by affecting the skin matrix and the cells of the skin and also by triggering an inflammatory reaction within the skin, which causes damage by releasing destructive free radicals (metalloproteinase’s). Individuals who are sensitive to skin products often times have an exaggerated reaction to the irritants and the skin’s reaction is worse than the damage caused by the irritant.
When checking the label for irritants look for: botanicals, fragrances, dye, and in cleansers look for the word detergent. Just because a product is labeled as “hypoallergenic” does not mean that your skin won’t become irritated by something in the product. The products labeled as “hypoallergenic” only refer to the fact that they have fewer or not as many irritants as other similar products on the market. One way to select facial products is to look for the ones that are labeled, as “dermatologist-recommended”. Also look for ones that are dye-free or fragrance-free. Also products that are labeled as “for sensitive skin” are generally milder than similar products but not necessarily irritant free. If you have difficulty selecting products that do not irritate your skin contact your dermatologist or an allergist for recommendations.
