Living With Rosacea

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Tips On How To Deal With Rosacea Breakouts

Rosacea may not be a dangerous disease but it can severely affect a person's self-confidence. The skin disease is characterized by redness in the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin regions of the face. This can be really hard to hide. In fact, some people with rosacea refuse to even go out because they are ashamed of how they look. Besides the redness, some cases also have pustules and pimples similar to acne but instead of whiteheads, you will find clear liquid. Blood vessels also become dilated and thus showing through the skin and the eyes may become watery.

Although it affects millions of people all over the world, about 46 million to be exact, nothing much has been known about rosacea in terms of its causes, spread and cure. There are many theories as to what exactly causes the break outs but nothing has been proven yet. So far, there is no evidence that it spreads from person to person contact but again, nothing is conclusive. One thing is for sure, as of now, there is no cure for rosacea. People with it will need to control the symptoms and manage the problem all throughout their lives. There are treatments though that will help people lessen the breakouts but these treatments should be done continuously. People who have stopped treatment had remissions.

The struggle against rosacea may be lifelong but with treatments to control the symptoms widely available, coping with it is not so bad. Here are some tips that might help you deal with the problem.

1. Know your triggers
Break outs are usually triggered by a host of factors. These triggers are different for each person. Some may even have more than one triggers. The trick is to determine what your triggers are so that you can minimize your break outs. This is the first line of defense for rosacea patients. Sun exposure and changing weather are the most common triggers along with spicy food and stress. Some vegetables like eggplants and spinach can also trigger breakouts. Also citrus fruits, raisins and plum. Chocolates and other dairy products are also in the list of triggers. Also cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

2. Get treatment
One thing to remember about rosacea is it worsens with age especially when it is left untreated. It occurs later in life, from about 30 years old to about 50. It is important that you get treatment as soon as you realize that you have the problem. This will help you control your symptoms.

3. Be aware
One of the hardest thing about rosacea is recognizing its symptoms. It is a chronic skin problem, meaning that the symptoms comes and goes. They do not appear regularly or in the same extent. This is why some people do not realize that they have the problem. Some think that the redness is because of sunburn or because they get easily flushed than other people. Be aware. Your vigilance will help you deal with the problem early on.

About the Author

Edward Pena is a network marketer that helps people with their internet business. He also recommends natural healing products to help with common health problems. To see some of these amazing products, visit his website at: Amazing Health and Wellness Products

Friday, April 15, 2011

Effective Skin Care Strategies To Prevent Rosacea

With the growing popularity of different skin care products out there, people who have skin problems such as Rosacea endlessly search for skin care products to relieve them. But then, due to lack of knowledge and information, more and more people are misled to use products and avail of treatments without consulting a dermatologist or a physician resulting to a more devastating situation.

To avoid mistakes in choosing skin care products and treatments, it is very important to have the knowledge about general causes of skin problems—its types, the age of the patient, current status or condition—so you know what are the products appropriate for each kind.

Also, try to prevent the development of the skin condition by developing strategies to keep their skin healthy.

Prevention is the best cure

Aside from skin problems, experts say that aging greatly contributes to unhealthy skin. In fact, some people feel that aging or growing old is like paying for something they haven’t consumed. But, if aging—like skin problems—is understood properly, preventive measures can done to avoid seeing aging as a torture or a punishment. The following are just some of the simple skin care strategies that you can practice to your daily life.

1. Watch what you eat. Avoid hot and spicy foods as well as hot foods to avoid further complications. Also,do everything you can to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight that corresponds to your height is one of the best ways to avoid developing skin disorders. Keeping a healthy weight can be possible by eat fruits and vegetables, limiting fat and calories intake, and with regular work out and exercise.

2. Quit smoking. Smoking is truly dangerous not only to your health, to the health of those people surrounding you, and most especially to your skin. If you can, you must start developing a routine in order to quit smoking. When you stop smoking, you can achieve a healthier skin and can reduce the risk of having heart diseases and lung diseases such as cancer.

3. Shield yourself from the sun's damaging rays. Protecting yourself from the sun's deadly rays is one of the best skin care strategies out there. Since exposure to the sun is one of the major causes of skin disorder, lesser exposure to it can help you reduce the risk factor of skin cancer. To protect your skin further, avoid long sun exposure 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and always apply sun block the skin when you're staying outdoors.

4. Drink plenty of water. Hydrating your skin is also one of the best skin care strategies out there to prevent Rosacea. Make sure that you provide your body enough supply of water and not with fluids that can damage organs in the body and weaken the immune system such as alcohol.

5. Always keep your face and body clean. Rosacea is a skin condition that could be preventable by eliminating the factors that would aggravate the condition such as dirt. After cleaning your face thoroughly, you can also apply the treatment that your doctor has prescribed.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Ways You Can Deal With Rosacea

More than 16 million Americans and about 46 million all over the world may have rosacea but they don't know that they have it. You see, Rosacea's symptoms are not so marked especially if the case is just mild. People who have rosacea think that they easily blush or get flushed. They don't know that when they are exposed to the sun or when the weather is extremely hot, the redness that they see on their faces is not actually sunburn or flushing but Rosacea.

Rosacea is a skin problem characterized by patches of redness on some areas of the face particularly on the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. Blood vessels are seen through the skin. People afflicted with the skin problem also suffer from watery eyes and in some cases, pustules on the affected areas. Although almost similar to pimples, rosacea lets out a clear liquid when pressed unlike pimples which usually have whiteheads or blackheads.

For those who have only mild cases, rosacea's symptoms appear only when the skin is triggered by some factors. This is why not all people realize that they have the skin problem because incidents are few and far between. Usually, rosacea is triggered by high temperatures and continued exposure to the sun.

The same goes with spicy foods and alcohol consumption which raises the temperature level of the body. Stress can also be a factor especially when the person already has a predisposition to the skin problem. Others think that rosacea break outs are because of allergic reactions to certain chemicals. You see, cosmetics and other skin products can also trigger the occurrence of the symptoms. Some vegetables, marinated meat and dairy products can also trigger a full-blown breakout. Skin medications like benzoyl peroxide when it is used in large amounts can also lead to a rosacea break out.

But unlike most skin problems, rosacea does not have any cure. The most that a person can do is to manage the problem and make sure that no break outs occur. Often, people deal with rosacea by avoiding the triggers as much as they can. They always have sunglasses, umbrella and hats when they leave the house. Some do not eat spicy foods and those dishes that would trigger the symptoms. Those with symptoms involving the eyelids will need to frequently wash the area so as not to irritate the eyes. This is important to note because though rosacea is not exactly dangerous, it can pose a problem if it affects the eyes.

But these remedies are only effective if you have a mild case of rosacea. For extreme cases, you really need to see a doctor and ask for medications. Dermatologists use antibiotics, which may be topical or oral. These are lifelong treatments because as mentioned before, rosacea does not have any cure. In fact, people who stop taking medicines often have remissions where in the rosacea will come back.

Others who are so lucky need to only undergo continuous treatment for one to two years, after which the skin problem will be completely controlled.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Ways On How You Can Manage Rosacea At Home

Rosacea is one disease that can be managed at home. It cannot be cured, mind you but at least people can do things to avoid flare ups. In fact, some people do not even realize they have rosacea because they avoid their rosacea triggers without knowing that they are doing it. This is partly because symptoms are highly irregular and there are a host of triggers that can cause the flare ups. Thus, people do not often see the connection immediately. It is important though that once you see the connection, you get help immediately or start to manage the flare ups because the condition has been known to worsen with age especially when it is left untreated for a long time.

Rosacea is more common in women than in men and unlike acne, it often affects people who are older. The good news is, there seems to be no evidence that it is transmitted from person to person. The bad news is, doctors still do not know how it appears in the first place. There are a lot of theories but no confirmed cause.

To those who want no more of the flare ups, here are some of the ways that you can manage your rosacea without going to the doctor all the time.

1. Avoid sunlight
This is the number one trigger of rosacea flare ups. Sun exposure, hit weather and sunbathing can cause those redness on the skin. So if you plan to go outside, bring sun protection like an umbrella, a hat, even a shawl, sunglasses and sunscreen.

2. Avoid spicy foods
Chili sauce may be your staple for ever meal but if you want to control your rosacea better steer clear of those spices.

3. Be observant of your flare ups
There are foods that can trigger rosacea break outs. The list of food products is long and to be honest it can be anything on your table. Known triggers are dairy products, some veggies like eggplants, beans and spinah some fruits like avocados, plums, raisins and other citrus fruits, and some meats. Add to that common staples like coffee and other caffeine loaded products, cheese and even soy sauce and you are covering virtually everything on the menu. Chocolates and alcoholic drinks are also common triggers.

4. Stop smoking
Here is mother reason why you should pack away those cigarette packs. You are not only in danger of getting emphysema and tuberculosis and other problems in the lungs, you can also develop rosacea.

5. Get treated
If these things do not help you control your break outs, then it is time to go to the expert. Doctors can give you medicines to control flare ups. There are also treatments available that will help you deal permanently with your problem. Topical steroids for instance are often prescribed to rosacea patients for a few months. This medicine, however, is closely monitored by doctors since it can cause irritation around the mouth, which is a very common side effect.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Rosacea, The Skin Problem You Did Not Know You Had...

Women put blush on make up on their faces to have that natural flush. So when women get red-cheeked when they are exposed to the sun for a long time, they don't think it's a problem. Well, it is. Redness in some areas of the face can be a sign that you have rosacea. Rosacea is a common skin problem that usually affects Caucasians. Thus it has been called "the curse of the celts." It has, in fact, affected about 16 million Americans and almost 46 million people all over the world.

It is three times more common in women than in men. Besides redness that is often mistaken for sunburn, rosacea is also characterized by watery eyes an appearance of blood vessels on the skin. Rosacea cannot be cured. The most that people afflicted with it can do is to control it's symptoms. This is fortunately easy because rosacea's symptoms are not regular. Usually they only have flare ups when there are triggers. Examples of common triggers are sun exposure, spicy food, skin products, some food and dairy products. For those who have only mild symptoms, treatment is as simple as avoiding contact with various triggers.

Those who have more extreme symptoms need continuous medication and treatment. And this is life long treatment. People who stop medications often go in remission and experience the same symptoms. But having rosacea isn't such a bad thing. Unlike other diseases, it is not actually dangerous and it does not affect any organs in the body. However, it can be a problem if the redness reach the area of the eyes which can hamper vision. People whose eyelids are affected exercise hygienic routines to deal with the problem. Below are some of the simple ways that they can deal with rosacea flare up.

1. Don't drink and smoke
Believe it or not, rosacea can be triggered by smoking and alcoholic drinks. So to those who cannot stop these vices, here is another reason why you should.

2. Avoid sun exposure
Most people afflicted with rosacea suffer from flare ups when they stay under the sun for too long. And it's not just about the direct heat of the sun, even humidity and indoor heat can be triggers. It seems that when the temperature of the body rises, break outs occur. This is perhaps also the reason why spicy foods are also known to cause rosacea flare ups. Spiciness can increase the body's temperature.

3. Go to the doctor
For extreme cases that cannot be managed by simply avoiding the triggers, go immediately to the doctor. Rosacea can get worse with age especially when it is not treated soon. Doctors will often prescribe medicines that can help you manage the problem. There will be no cure but at least you will have fewer break outs.

4. Record your meals
There are food products that can cause rosacea break outs. There are a lot from meat and dairy products to even vegetables. The trick is to find out soon which foods trigger the problem. Recording which food you ate before you had a break out will certainly help.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Preventing Rosacea The Natural Way

These days, more and more people are neglecting proper skin care due to busy schedule and this result to skin disorders such as Rosacea.

Rosacea’s causes are yet to be discovered until now. Because of its prevalence especially in women, rosacea is considered as one of the most common skin orders in America with 1 among 20 Americans suffering from it.

Commonly characterized by flushing of the skin and the appearance of reddish or purplish discoloration on the skin, Rosacea has become a problem especially among women.

In fact, studies show that more and more women start to lose confidence because of the permanent enlargements of small blood vessels on their skin which also result to red and enlarged nose.

Natural means to prevent it

Because of its sporadic nature, Rosacea has become one of the skin disorders that are difficult to manage. However, experts say that prevention is the best cure to any disease that is why people who might be prone to this skin disease should develop good skin care habits as early as now.

Experts say that eating healthy foods is one of the major keys in combating skin disorder such as Rosacea which may be caused by toxicity that modern life brings. These days, with the growing numbers of people who suffer from different skin problems, people should be more vigilant in keeping up with a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods. This is very important not only to ensure good skin but also to maintain overall health.

Time and again, nutrition experts say that there are two major keys that lead to good skin—these include eating the right amount of food depending on the person’s need and lifestyle and eating a range of foods to ensure that the person gets balanced diet.

And since food and eating properly contribute so much to a healthy diet, people should focus more on considering the food their body needs especially on a diet. Experts remind that diet foods should contain the necessary vitamins and minerals that are quite essential for weight control and metabolism. These diet foods should include Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, Vitamin C, choline, inositol, chromium, manganese, and zinc.

Studies show that the perfect foods that help people achieve healthy skin should include a wide range of fruits. Aside from being an all-natural product, fruits are low in calories, rich in dietary fiber that helps boosts satiety, and satisfies a person’s sweet tooth without worrying about weight gain.

Containing all the nutrients and vitamins it has, fruits are an ideal diet food for those who are into losing weight or weight reduction and those who are striving to maintain their weight. Other nutritional benefits of fruit include the prevention of vitamin deficiency, a rich source of dietary fiber and rich in folate.

Just like fruits, vegetables are also considered perfect foods to avoid Rosacea and to those who are having problems in maintaining good skin care regimen. Aside from being a rich source of important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B-complex micronutrients, vitamins C, E and K that combat vitamin deficiency, vegetables are also excellent sources of the protective plant micronutrient called “phytochemicals.”

Sunday, September 26, 2010

How to Treat Rosacea

One of the most difficult things to treat is a disease with an unknown cause. Not knowing where the problem comes from makes giving medications dangerous. Rosacea is such a disease. Even with tens of millions of people affected by the skin problem, scientists still do not know what exactly causes it. They only know that there is rosacea when the symptoms appear. Among these symptoms are redness on the skin, particularly in the forehead, the cheeks, the nose and the chin; blood vessels that are visible on the skin; bumps or pimples on the skin and eyes that are watery. Rosacea is different from acne because its pimples do not whitehead or blackheads. Inside you will find clear liquid.

For mild cases, what is considered a treatment is avoiding the triggers, which can be really confusing. Not all people have the same triggers. Some rosacea patients have break outs when they are exposed to the sun, when the temperature is really high and when the weather is humid. Some get their pimples from eating spicy foods or dishes that trigger their condition: some kinds of veggies and dairy products. Stress can also be a trigger and so using cosmetics and other skin products. In fact, in some cases, people get rosacea breakouts when they put benzoyl peroxide which is a known medication for acne and isolated cases of pimples.

Despite this, having rosacea is not a hopeless case. Rosacea can be treated by a host of medical treatments. The only trick is to find the treatment that suits you. Among the treatments available are using products like antibacterial washes, topical creams and antibiotic pills. Some patients also undergo laser therapies, pulse-light procedures and photodynamic therapy. Others, especially those with extreme cases of rosacea, undergo a combination of treatments: both the medications and the therapies. These all depends on the evaluation of the dermatologist.

Topical creams, for instance, are very effective in controlling the symptoms of rosacea for some patients. Usually, this is the first drug that doctors will prescribe to see just how the patient will react to medications. They are antibiotic that help fight off bacteria. Examples of medications that have proved to be effective are metronidazole and Azelaic acid, which both controls the redness and lessens the bumps in rosacea cases. Another is sodium sulfacetamide which is used for inflammation. Other common skin medications like erythromycin and clindamycin are sometimes prescribed.

Some patients are also given oral antibiotics like tetracycline, minocycline, amoxicillin and doxycycline. Doctors, however, try to avoid giving these right away because of the potential side effects that oral medications can bring.

In some cases, doctors also prescribe taking steroids for a short period of time. There are also steroid lotions that may be used once or twice a day to the areas with the breakout.

There is however that risk of exacerbating the condition with topical steroids so prolonged use is not recommended. Some patients also suffer from perioral dermatitis, which happens when the skin around the mouth is irritated.