Rosacea; some facts

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin. Rosacea classically presents as excessive dryness on the surface of the skin with a very dry itchy skin barrier which the person often feels like scratching. It can present with or without acne aswell. 


What causes rosacea?
There is a tiny little mite that lives on the surface of the skin of every single human being this is called the dermatophyte mite. In a patient with rosacea the concentration of the dermatophyte mite is significantly greater than it is in the normal population. The multiplication and replication of this mite on the surface of the skin self-perpetuates the rosacea condition and makes it a lot worse. Typically the mite thrives and multiplies more oilier skin mediums. 
Typically, the patient feels that their skin is very dry and itchy and is prone to  scratching, however intrinsically the rosacea condition is caused by an oily skin barrier type. The pores in the surface of the skin are higher in concentration with sebum and oil regulation is very important in a rosacea patient .

Factors that make rosacea worse include poor diet, spicy foods, caffeine intake and alcohol and very high stress levels as well. Essentially it is a genetically pre-determined condition although factors like spicy food, high caffeine intake and emotional stress can aggravate the condition and make it worse.   In addition, hormonal changes and shifts can aggravate the condition as well.
Cosmetic products such as skin and hair products often contain chemicals which can also aggravate the skin barrier and make the rosacea worse. Therefore, it is always advisable that any patient with  rosacea seeks advice from a qualified dermatologist before making any product choices.


What are the symptoms of rosacea

Symptoms of rosacea include visible blood vessels on the nose and cheeks which are commonly present. Often these can be hard to see and sometimes often referred to a spider veins.  Many patients with the rosacea condition classically present with facial redness and flushing which can cause some embarrassment self-consciousness as well. Burning sensations of the skin, dryness and itching are common presentations. A small group of rosacea patients may also develop acne which coexists with the rosacea. This can present as pimples on the face and bumps which may contain purse as well. This can also occur on the chest and back. Rhinophyma Is a thickening of the skin on the nose causing the nose to look bigger. This can also present in a rosacea patient although it does more often occur in men than women. 

How can Rosacea be treated?
The mainstay of skincare treatment for rosacea is to use ingredients in skin care products which are gentle in nature, the products should have oil control and be as gentle and mild as possible and be as free as possible from chemicals and aggravating ingredients.  Chemicals in skin care products can aggravate the skin barrier and worsen the rosacea condition. 
The ZO Skin Health products which I commonly recommend for patients with rosacea include a very gentle cleanser that is deep cleaning in its formulation and is very good for removing oil and impurities from the skin barrier surface. The ZO Skin Health gentle cleanser promotes hydration and leaves a really nice refreshed feeling on the surface of the skin. It contains oat amino acids which are hydrating and camellia sinensis leaf extract which has antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory effects as well as providing skin hydration and moisturization and protection against UV damage.
I also like to recommend the ZO Skin Health balancing cleansing emulsion. This is a conditioning cleanser which goes from being a gel to milk, it’s very good for anyone with a sensitive skin barrier and really good for sensitised, red and inflammatory skin which is itchy. It is fragrance-free and sulphate-free making it less irritating to the skin barrier and perfect for patients who suffer with rosacea. I recommend this is a pre-cleanse to remove make up or even using it as a sunscreen followed by any of the other cleansers. The balancing cleansing emulsion is suitable for normal to sensitive skin and was also awarded a seal of acceptance by the national eczema association. It contains bisabool and oat kernel extract which are powerfully soothing  on the skin barrier and patients achieve visibly calm skin and less redness and itching when using this. 
Oil control toning pads are great for oil control in rosacea and ZO Skin Health oil control toning pads are great for using twice daily in removing excess sebum from the surface of the skin and providing a deep pore cleanse. These contain a triple ingredient spectrum of alpha and beta -hydroxy acids, namely salicylic acid 2%, mandelic acid and glycolic acid. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid which has deep dermal penetration capabilities within the skin cell layers and is able to actively remove sebum from deep within the pores providing much needed oil control in a rosacea patient.  Mandelic  acid which is a alpha-hydroxy acid is particularly good for pigmentation scars and therefore removing any scars and clarifying the complexion.  
Many rosacea patients overlook the importance of exfoliation and removal of dead skin at the surface level. 
The ZO skincare exfoliating polish scrub is a great product for this and it contains magnesium crystals to provide exfoliation and remove dead skin cells and it also prevents clogged pores  whilst stimulating a healthy circulation.  In addition the incorporation of the active ingredient tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate which is a stable form of vitamin C is very good to remove dark spots from the skin and pigmentation thus having a dual effect. 
The main skincare serums for rosacea patients are Rozatrol serum and daily power defence hydrator. 
The Rozatrol serum contains an exfoliating ingredient papain, this provides gentle and enzymatic  exfoliation improving skin texture and tone. It also contains lactose and milk proteins  which hydrate the skin and minimise the appearance of redness and sensitisation. In addition to this glycerin is highly hydrating as well and is a component of the rozatrol serum.
The importance of  SPF throughout any rosacea skincare protocol cannot be emphasised enough. I particularly like the ZO Skin Health smart tone broad spectrum SPF 50. This is as a very good SPF product which provides broad-spectrum UVA, UVB and HEV protection, It absorbs into the skin very easily without leaving a thick superficial residue and is non-greasy in its formulation which is why I find many patients like this. The incorporation of mineral iron oxide into its ingredient list also makes it skin tone colour -correcting and it provides an immediate brightening affect upon application, again another reason why many patients like this SPF. 

What steps can I take to reduce my rosacea?
Lifestyle can play a huge role in control of the rosacea condition. In particular, reducing mental and emotional stress can keep the condition under control,  aswell as dietary modifications.  For many patients, adopting a diet with less caffeine and spicy foods and less alcohol can keep the rosacea under control aswell alongside a bespoke skin care protocol which contains the correct ingredients for skin health balancing and managing the rosacea. 

What are the best skincare ingredients for a patient who has rosacea?
The best skincare ingredients for a patient who has rosacea are gentle products which contain minimal aggravating chemical ingredients and not using harsh products which aggravate the skin barrier.  Sun protection is critical and using a really good sun cream with UVA, UVB and HEV protection is important because this factor can aggravate the rosacea condition more than anything else and sensitise the skin barrier and make it sore and red. 

Popular posts from this blog

Facts about Laser hair removal

 Facts about l aser hair removal        What is it?     Laser hair removal uses a machine to remove hair permanently    A number of factors need to be taken into consideration before a plan is made for a laser hair removal program for a patient     There are a lot of different types of laser machines with wavelengths which are designed for Hair removal on different skin types and hair  colour .    The machines available in  clinics  range from wavelengths of Alexandrite 750nm for patients with lighter skin and hair to diode 808nm and  nd-Yag  1050nm suitable for darker skin types with higher surface melanin concentrations and patients with thicker dark and coarse hair.         Key considerations during laser hair removal...
Read more

Pigmentation and treatment

  What is pigmentation? Pigmentation is the formation of pigment within the basal layer of the epidermis which is visible at surface level of the  as a marked area which is differentiated in colour from the rest of the skin and more often than not hyper-pigmented.  The molecule responsible for the pigmentation is called melanin, the up-regulation and production of melanin is regulated by a number of different factors. There are two sub-variants of melanin which are known as eumelanun and pheomelanin, each of these respective variants are responsible for different colour pigments within the skin. Eumelanin produces pigmentation more within the brown and black colour spectrum and pheomelanin produces pigmentation which is visible more within the yellow and red colour range. The ratio of eumelanin to pheomelanin is reflective in the colour of the pigment that is produced and seen within the skin.  There are a number of biochemical pathways involved in the production of ...
Read more

Sun protection

  Sun protection explained  The skin is exposed to a number of different rays directly from the sun. These include UVA rays which are generally more longer wavelength rays followed by UVB rays which have shorter wavelength rays but higher energy levels.  The UVB rays cause direct damage within  the  skin cell surface layers and DNA within the skin through oxidative stress by the radiation on the skin and this can result in aging of the skin, wrinkles, skin cancers and indirect DNA damage. It is therefore important to ensure that appropriate sun protection measures are taken when the skin is exposed to external radiation and elements which are capable of inflicting oxidative stress on the skin and damage. Sun protection lotions are available and manufactured from a number of different companies in a variety of different formulations. The differentiating factor between different sun protection products is the factor that they have on there label. There are an arra...
Read more