The NHS suggests that one in 10 of us in the UK has rosacea. In short, rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that prompts skin to redden and can hugely impacts the way that you see yourself if you suffer from it.

Rosacea can manifest itself differently depending on the person, making it hard for sufferers to correctly identify it and treat it accordingly. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for the condition but there are many ways to calm, soothe and treat your skin. Keep reading to find out what can cause rosacea and which products we recommend to treat it!

What is it?

Rosacea is a long-term skin condition associated with facial redness and flushing. It tends to appear in those with fairer skin - generally blonde hair, blue eyes - but not always! Rosacea can often be confused with acne, due to the persistent redness that it causes. It’s likely that you have rosacea if your skin consistently flushes or blushes, feels warm most of the time, or you experience any sort of burning sensation for no reason.

Broadly speaking, there are four different types of rosacea, which may overlap: erythemato-telangiectactic rosacea (redness, flushing and dilated blood vessels), papulopustular rosacea (acne-like breakouts), phymatous rosacea (skin swelling and thickening, e.g. of the nose) and ocular rosacea (gritty eyes and swollen lids). It often begins with a tendency to flush or blush more easily, but over time sufferers may develop permanent redness of the nose and cheeks along with a multitude of other unpleasant symptoms, such as bumps, dry or scaly skin, burning and stinging, and sensitivity to multiple skincare products.

And what causes it?

There are a number of factors believed to contribute to the development of rosacea including genetics, blood vessel abnormalities, hormonal influences, and diet.

Things that tend to cause a rosacea flare up include going in and out of hot and cold temperatures (such as showers and baths, saunas and steam rooms), drinking wine, eating spicy food - essentially anything that gets your blood moving will cause rosacea sufferers to become flushed.

As previously mentioned, rosacea tends to show up across the cheeks and nose, up onto forehead and down onto chin. It can be identified by red bumps which may resemble acne but without the black or white heads on them, as well as visible blood vessels - this is why it's more common in fairer skinned people as their blood vessels are closer to the surface.

Unfortunately no one knows what causes rosacea, but one thing to remember is that most skin issues are caused by intolerances and sensitivities within the skin and body.

Okay - how can you treat it?

When treating skin with rosacea, one thing should be compulsory - never sit directly in the sun! It is quite possibly the worst thing you can do for this skin condition. Instead, it is very important to wear a good quality SPF, wear a wide-brimmed sun hat, and just generally block that s**t out!

You want to make sure the products you use are gentle - think hydration, facial mists, no fragrance and effective emollient moisturisers. Remember, rosacea can be treated really well by visiting your doctor for a prescription - usually with oral antibiotics. Finally - we've said it already but we are going to repeat it louder for those in the back - SPF ALWAYS!

Our favourite products to treat skin with rosacea include:

  • CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

  • Clinique Take The Day Off balm cleanser

  • La Roche-Posay Serozinc antiseptic toner

  • Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture moisturiser

Would you like to discuss your skin in further detail with one of our facialists before letting them take you through a 33Dowanhill Signature Facial? Click the button below to book in with Jo, Nicole, Kirsty or Kate at our Glasgow studio.

Love,

33Dowanhill

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