Rosacea: Yes, Your Skin Can Heal. Here’s How.
If redness and swelling at the center of your face, forehead and cheeks is keeping your skin from looking its best you might be suffering from rosacea. Rosacea is a fairly common skin condition, especially in women as they age. While the cause of rosacea is unknown, it could be due to an overactive immune system, environmental factors, or heredity. Flare ups can be triggered by temperature extremes, hot or spicy foods, sun or wind, emotions, and medications. Symptoms usually come and go, with remissions followed by flare ups which are usually only on the face or neck. Some may have Papulopustular Rosacea which is also a very common type of acne-based rosacea. Often if you had acne when you were younger you will transition to acne rosacea. If this sounds familiar and you are frustrated with your ongoing symptoms and health of your skin, the good news is with a little focus on controlling symptoms your skin can heal. Here’s how.
Where to Start:
Treating rosacea through your skincare routine starts with understanding your skin type. A rosacea skincare friendly routine can:
- Improve the overall appearance
- Boost your skin’s health
- Reduce future flare ups
A skin type based skincare routine will help keep your skin balanced while also soothing your rosacea flare ups. Consider products that will gently treat irritated red skin with ingredients such as lavender, chamomile, green tea, and geranium to help soothe, calm, and heal the skin.
For acne rosacea, try a skincare line designed for acne issues. Ingredients such as tea tree, eucalyptus and clary sage are active ingredients that will fight bacteria, heal and prevent breakouts. Don’t be afraid to use a serum that is designed to help clear active breakouts when you have acne rosacea either. Try one that will target inflammation, soothe redness and irritation, and condition the skin. A blemish control gel can also do wonders for any acne rosacea breakouts.
An Added Boost
During a rosacea flare up, your skin might need an added boost of healing ingredients. Try these ideas straight from our professionals:
- Incorporate a Mask: The Super Soothe Calming Mask works well for rosacea thanks to its ability to improve redness by 40-60%. This 2 in 1 mask uses Canadian Willow Bark, arnica, and lavender to calm and cool the skin.
- Add a Serum: A vitamin C serum can help ward off free radicals in the environment. Try working a bit of a hyaluronic acid serum into the skin next which will infuse it with essential hydration.
Other Tips
It’s tempting to overwork your skin when it’s suffering from a skin condition like rosacea. While you may have the best intentions, it’s important to know when it’s too much of a good thing. Remember these healing tips:
- Cleanse Gently Morning & Night: Cleansing when you wake up and then again before you go to bed helps remove oils and dirt that can further irritate your skin. Consider using a double cleanser or a milk cleanser to gently wash your face. Remember to use lukewarm water as hot temperatures can aggravate rosacea.
- Always Moisturize: Whether your skin is dry, oily or combination, it’s important to moisturize. Moisturizing traps water in your skin, reducing irritation, peeling and roughness.