Are you blushing or always red?
Did you know April is rosacea awareness month? Probably not, because neither did I – but it makes sense. April has a lot of changes with the weather, humidity, allergies, and sunlight.
Those aren’t all the triggers to rosacea, but it’s a lot of the list. It’s appropriate that the worst month for those issues, April, is the awareness month assigned.
You Are So Red!!
Do people tell you you’re red all the time or ask if you just got sun? You may have sensitive skin or possibly a red undertone.
Early stages of having a chronic skin condition that effects roughly 16 million Americans called rosacea.
What is Rosacea
Rosacea is the inflammatory response of your skin to specific triggers. Think redness, heat, bumps, breakouts and rashes. Rosacea starts at the cheeks, nose and chin areas but is not limited to those. It differs from person to person but most see an onset after the age of 30.
Men and women of all skin colors are affected by rosacea. Usually fair, light-skinned patients are more prone to more extreme cases. Men usually ignore the concerns and worsening the condition. One day it looks like the lupus butterfly rash and others it’s barely noticeable.
How?
“Flair-ups” and remissions are often common with rosacea because of the location. Our face takes a beating because it’s constantly exposed and goes through trial and error testing of products like creams, scrubs, sunblock’s and makeup.
Products that have higher concentrations of chemicals and preservatives irritate the skin. Fragrances and exfoliating properties can trigger a flair up. Direct heat, prolonged sun exposure, spicy foods, stress, and red wine can also be inducing for rosacea and should be limited.
Can it be Treated?
Switch up your skincare ASAP. Toss products with retinol and high volumes of fragrance/chemicals. Find a gentle milky cleanser and a calming serum (hello Phyto Corrective gel -my fav!). Also a nourishing moisturizer without SPF.
Green concealer or powder gives instant toning down of redness. A primer will even the texture if bumps and breakouts are concurring in your flare-up, while there are lasers on the market that help with broken capillaries.
Chemical peels can help if used correctly (I would recommend the CO2 Micro-Peel treatment by Skinceuticals). Physical exfoliation like microdermabrasion should be avoided at all costs! Facials with cold compresses and anti-inflammatory products work wonders before a big event.
Think you may have rosacea or need help with an in-person evaluation? Stop by our office, located in downtown Melbourne, for a free consultation with our skincare experts! (321) 821-4778
Till next time Melbourne!
Love the skin you’re in.