Rosacea is a skin condition that affects over 45 million people worldwide, and although it’s not dangerous to health, Rosacea can be a daily nuisance and cause increased skin deformity with age. At early stages, it causes embarrassing red flushes with certain triggers, at times associated with raised, itchy bumps or acneiform pustules.
If left untreated over time, Rosacea patients may experience skin thickening of the nose, chin and cheek skin. In addition, there may be unsightly broken blood vessels, and in extreme cases the nose enlarges with a bulbous deformity. Because this is a skin condition that worsens with age, the trick lies in early diagnosis to prevent its progression. With prompt treatment and proper care, you can keep Rosacea from progressing to the point where it visually changes the quality of your skin, and that of your life, as a result..
Know your triggers
Avoiding Rosacea flares are key in preventing the progression of this common skin disease. The less you breakout with an episode, the less your skin will change in response to these inflammatory assaults. The earlier you learn what your triggers are, the better you can avoid them, thus saving your skin from getting thicker, redder and riddled with broken capillaries and acne-liked scarring. Common triggers include sun, heat, spicy foods, skin irritants, alcoholic beverages, hot liquids and stress which can cause vasodilation and skin flushing, possibly triggering rosacea. Facial flushing itself might not necessarily result in a flare, but the more a person with rosacea flushes, the chance of triggering a true Rosacea flare is increased which can in turn lead to permanent skin changes associated with frequent flares. If you suspect a possible triggering factor in your diet, cut it out for a few days and watch the reaction of your skin. If it’s an absolute must-have that you cannot do without, slowing reintroduce that food group. You just might be able to get away with eating small quantities, as opposed to a voracious binge!
Adequate sun protection
Rosacea-prone skin is usually fairly sensitive and can get very irritated from excessive sun exposure. To protect yourself from the harmful ultraviolet rays, use a broad spectrum UVA/UVB protective sunscreen that is physical or mineral based. Physical blockers avoid additional irritation that chemical sunscreens may cause on Rosacea-prone skin.
Creams to treat
The cause of this disfiguring skin condition remains largely unknown but its association with acne outbreaks at times had led some to believe that there’s an infective component to it. We can control Rosacea and prevent it from progressing with early treatment being key to maintaining the youthful qualities of the skin.
Zap me pretty
Once repeated Rosacea flares leave skin with visible dilated blood vessels, known medically as telangiectasia, your best bet to improve the appearance of your skin is with appropriate medical laser therapy. The Norseld Dual Yellow Laser delivers an intense but gentle burst of yellow light on selected areas of the skin. This light is absorbed by blood vessels and the heat causes the telangiectasia to collapse or shrink without collateral damage to surrounding healthy skin. In addition, the laser energy can also help stimulate new collagen formation, resulting in a certain degree of skin ‘remodeling’ with anti-aging benefits to boot. In addition, it targets P.Acnes bacterium, thereby helping control acne breakouts and tame inflammatory acne.
Support from within
There’s a lot of talk and studies in recent years with regards to the macros and micros in your nutritional intake and their correlation with diseases including Rosacea. There are some food groups which can strengthen skin from within, and antioxidant-rich choices are good for this. Try spinach, broccoli, carrot, red/orange/yellow peppers and other brightly colored vegetables and fruits. Do avoid alcohol, spicy food, cinnamaldehyde-containing foods (e.g., tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate), very hot drinks, and histamine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheese, processed meats, wine).
Rosacea, though largely void of ill effects to one’s health, can be socially embarrassing, making one feel very self conscious, with adverse effects on one’s mood and self-confidence. However, with a little effort and changes to your everyday routine, Rosacea-prone skin can be very manageable, especially if you start early before things go awry and get out of control.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Toby Hui and Dr. Harold Ma