The red patches on your skin could actually be symptoms of a Skin Disease.

The red patches on your skin could actually be symptoms of a Skin Disease.

You’ve probably heard of the skin disease, Rosacea, you may have even been diagnosed with Rosacea yourself. What is Rosacea and how do we care for our skin if we are diagnosed? Rosacea is the most common skin disorder that I personally see in my practice, unfortunately most of the products and home remedies my clients use only progress their Rosacea. The worst part is that they don't know any better! Most of the irritating ingredients in the products they use are actually prescribed from their local dermatologist.

This leaves us to wonder, what is Rosacea, how do you know if you have the skin disorder and what can we do to prevent it from progressing and easing our symptoms?

I firmly believe that with self education from professionals such as myself, we can help to ease the progression and symptoms of skin diseases such as Rosacea. Rosacea is an inflammatory and vascular disorder, a chronic skin disease. Affecting an estimated 16 million Americans,a common skin disease that disrupts daily lives.

The disease is long term, unfortunately no cure is known. The information that Medical Professionals and Estheticians have is limited, the research we have in progress to a cure is small to none. The disease will cause red patches (flare ups), blood vessels to become visible, capillaries to break and small pustules to form. The skin is extremely dry and hypersensitive. It is more common in women over thirty than in men and is sometimes found, but uncommon in young women.

In order to be diagnosed with Rosacea, you have to visit your local health care provider or dermatologist. They may recommend the use of internal and external antibiotics (not recommended, but we’ll touch on this later) and encourage you to avoid spicy foods, alcohol, strenuous exercise, saunas and steam rooms, hot showers, baths and hot tubs. These will cause flare ups. There are also unavoidable environments, such as stress, exposure to sun rays and being in a hot, humid climate which can cause the skin to flare up. The unavoidable environments and dietary/ lifestyle changes can easily feel overwhelming. After visiting your local health care provider, you more than likely are to walk away with a small packet of information on your Image copyright photos belong to Rosacea.org disease, a potential list of resources, feeling completely overwhelmed and discouraged, a prescribed cream or medication and feeling lost and confused.

First, the most important thing to understand is that you are not alone! An estimated 16 million Americans are diagnosed with Rosacea, that’s not a complete number of Americans because not everybody knows they have the disease and this is only a portion of the world!

Skin conditions are linked to our mental and emotional well being, if you begin to feel frustrated or isolated with your condition, I would recommend plugging into Rosacea.org to connect with others who understand what you’re feeling.

Products can do a lot of harm or a lot of good for skin conditions. For a balanced skin care routine, I always recommend a mild skin cleanser. You will use this to cleanse your skin morning and night. Cleansers that emulsify and give us a tight and dry feeling after we cleanse are not good for our skin. We need our natural oils for our skin to be balanced and maintain appropriate ph balance and microbiome. Using harsh sulfates and surfactants, remove the oils we need and disrupt the good bacteria our skin needs to thrive.

Active products that contain ingredients such as Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid and Enzymes will not only cause flare ups, but can worsen Rosacea. You also will need to avoid scrubs. Our skin still needs appropriate stimulation and exfoliation to encourage dead skin cells to slough away and new, healthy cells to come to the surface. Look for gentle ingredients such as Azelaic Acid, a gentle more natural acid that is derived from wheat, rye and barley. Salicylic Acid at 5% and lower is a Beta Hydroxy Acid that exfoliates inside your pores. Mandelic Acid, the gentlest Alpha Hydroxy Acid. I wouldn’t recommend using all three ingredients, however you could alternate them in your

weekly routine. Salicylic Acid, again in a low percentage is a wonderful ingredient to have in a cleanser. Azelaic Acid and Mandelic Acid are wonderful to have in a treatment to apply to your skin weekly or daily, depending on the severity of your rosacea.

I would recommend meeting with a certified Nutritionist or a Dietitian to help you find a diet that works with your rosacea, because the dietary needs are different for each individual. I would also recommend getting your blood drawn from your health care provider to ensure you are receiving the proper amount of nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to thrive. It is shocking how the lack of proper nutrients will lead to skin diseases and disorders Our skin is a mirror to the inside of our body, it shows us when something needs healing, it is important to listen to what our skin is trying to tell us, for our skin is the largest organ in our bodies.

Image copyright photos belong to Rosacea.org.

The NRS offers a Rosacea Diary free of charge to members, and you may also find the patient booklets Understanding Rosacea and Coping with Rosacea helpful and informative.