Rosacea Do’s and Don’ts

By Bridget Carmady – Naturopath & Founder, Clemence Organics

Rosacea is a skin condition caused by excessive inflammation and vascular dysfunction. This means that the capillaries on the face become enlarged and cause frequent blushing and redness, particularly on the cheeks, nose and forehead.

It causes a feeling of burning or stinging, and is likened to having sun or wind burn ALL THE TIME. But there are things you can do (and not do) to reduce your symptoms and keep rosacea under control.

Do wear sunscreen. When spending time in the sun, choose a natural sunscreen that will protect without aggravating. But keep your time in the sun to a minimum as Rosacea is very often aggravated by sun exposure. This is because our body produces vitamin D when we are exposed to the sun and increased vitamin D levels are associated with rosacea progression.

Don’t put chemicals on or next to your skin. As rosacea can be easily aggravated by chemicals and synthetic ingredients, it is particularly important to choose natural and organic skincare products. Also avoid the use of fragranced items including fragranced cosmetics, perfumes and laundry detergent.

Do apply skincare products rich in antioxidants and organic oils. Not only do the antioxidant-rich ingredients help protect your skin from UV damage but organic oils such as jojoba have been shown to provide natural SPF factor (jojoba sits at around SPF 4). Our Repair Face Serum is my pick here (see customer story below).

Don’t eat foods that aggravate your rosacea. Rosacea is often worsened by certain foods so it’s important to become aware of which foods aggravate your condition. Common foods include alcohol, spices, and hot beverages.

Do eat a colourful diet. Rosacea is benefited by a diet providing anti-inflammatory effects. The Mediterranean diet is perfect because it is high in antioxidants and has a low glycaemic index.

Do eat all the good bacteria. Probiotics should also be added to your diet (e.g. kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchee, supplements). Good gut flora can help improve the absorption of key nutrients necessary for healthy skin, including zinc and vitamins A, C, D and E. It also benefits the immune system and is anti-inflammatory.

Don’t get too hot or cold. Avoid excessive climatic changes including high heat (this includes sunbathing, saunas, hot baths/showers and hot beverages), strong winds, extreme cold and high humidity.

Do try to stay calm. Stress can aggravate rosacea because it increases production of the key stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol has an inflammatory effect on skin and can contribute to flare-ups. To reduce stress, use daily stress management practices e.g. yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises. Gentle exercise can also help regulate cortisol levels.

Please remember, rosacea is a multi-factorial skin disorder with many factors affecting its progression including immune dysregulation, climatic exposure, barrier dysfunction, and hormone dysregulation.