Rosacea
Any skin condition which starts with a rash, redness, itching or bumps means you may have one of a number of different skin problems including Rosacea. The exact cause is unknown but early diagnosis and treatment for Rosacea is very important and will assist with the condition. The sooner you can start on a treatment plan the better for your skin and prevent the condition from getting worse. Speak with your GP who will examine your skin, discuss your symptoms and ask what triggers the condition.
This is a common but misunderstood condition which affects the face. Because of the location of the condition it is highly visible and sometimes the changes in physical appearance can lead to adverse psychological effects. This can affect how you feel about yourself and interact with others. Clients report feelings of low self-esteem, embarrassment, frustration and even depression. Rosacea is a chronic condition like eczema and psoriasis and its worth spending the time to find out more about your condition in order to understand any underlying issues. I experienced psoriasis in my early teens and felt all of the above and more, but once I had a treatment plan in place I felt more in control of the condition and learned to accept that it wasn’t life threatening and I could cope with it providing I kept it under control.
Symptoms often start with blushing or flushing (vasodilation), this is where the skin turns red for a short time but as the condition develops can progress to permanent redness. Other symptoms are hotness , bumps, swelling, burning, stinging spots and small blood vessels in the skin become visible. Rosacea is a relapsing condition meaning the symptons come and go, ranging from mild to severe. People most affected are those with fair skin, adults between 30 – 40 with the majority in the 40 – 50 age bracket.
Triggers: The exact cause is unknown and scientists are searching for the underlying causes to understand the reason but the most common triggers are:-
- Sunlight
- Temperature extremes – hot or cold weather
- Sunburn
- Stress
- Menstruation
- Strenuous exercise
- Face scrubbing
- Facial products & make-up containing alcohol
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Hot drinks
- Spicy Food
- Drugs that cause vasodilation (The increase in diameter of blood vessels)
- Topical steroids
Treatment: Your doctor is your first port of call who may well prescribe topical treatments including antibiotics, antifungal medicines, benzoyl peroxide and Vitamin A cream (retinoids). If you wish to try other treatments we have several treatments that can help manage the condition, our new facial range called Environ is packed with Vitamin A and the results are amazing. The aim is to control the condition and improve the appearance of your skin. Depending on the severity of your condition it may take weeks or even months of treatments before you see results. Environ is a long term commitment and the treatment results from our clients have shown the use of Vitamin A, C and antioxidants will strengthen the skins defence system.
We are often bombarded with lists of ingredients in products but what do these products actually do? …….
Vitamin A protects the skin against UV damage, improves the quality of collagen and elastin,and will promote a healthier skin.
Vitamin C will help reduce the high colour in the skin, is anti inflammatory and will protect and brighten the skin
Our favourite product for clients with Rosacea is Colostrum Gel, this product will thicken and tighten, calm and soothe the skin and is perfect for inflamed skin and mild rosacea.