If you suffer from red, flushing skin, you’ve probably wondered if you have rosacea. It’s a common term, but rosacea is not well understood, even by medical professionals, and can be challenging to diagnose and treat. But we’re here to help you figure out what’s going on and how you can treat your irritated skin until it’s beautiful and healthy again!
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a skin condition likely caused by inflammation in the body. It causes redness in the face that looks like blushing and causes visible blood vessels. Sometimes rosacea is accompanied by small acne bumps, too. There’s a spectrum of severity, and while some people may only have problems occasionally, it can be a daily struggle for others.
One of the big problems with rosacea is that it’s such a tricky skin disorder. Research still needs to be done, especially because rosacea can be sneaky and look like other skin disorders.
Rosacea is commonly misdiagnosed in place of TEWL, or transepidermal water loss. TEWL and rosacea can look similar, with redness, pus-filled bumps and vascular matting. But TEWL is caused by the environment stealing the moisture in our skin through evaporation. While everyone has some degree of TEWL, those with impaired skin barriers are more at risk for problems. Significant TEWL can look like enlarged pores, dry or flakey skin, redness, distended veins, and worse signs of aging. Those suffering from this skin condition are commonly misdiagnosed with rosacea, which is probably why they don’t see improvement in their skin after receiving regular treatment.
Acne can also be so inflamed that it shakes some of the common symptoms of rosacea. You can have redness and irritation and those pus-filled bumps. When people pick at their acne, they can get distended veins too!
Causes & Triggers of Rosacea
Rosacea seems to have a hereditary component, but it’s still unknown why some people suffer from it. It appears to be related to your immune system and inflammation in the body.
Some foods and ingredients can make rosacea worse. Spicy foods that contain capsaicin can cause both an increase in circulation and constriction from distended veins. Alcohol is a significant cause of flare-ups, causing blood vessels to dilate and create a familiar red flush. Some people are also sensitive to cinnamaldehyde foods, such as cinnamon, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and chocolate. People who have Crohn’s disease, celiac disease or ulcerative colitis tend to have microbiomes that can quickly get out of whack and may need more attention to their diet to keep rosacea under control. Everyone is different, and you may have triggers unique to your body.
Demodex mites are a more icky cause of rosacea. These tiny mites are usually found in our eyelashes and eyebrows. They feed on dead skin cells, oils and hormones. But when our microbiome isn’t in check, they can travel to other places. People who have compromised immune systems can have an increased presence of these mites. When these Demodex mites hang out in areas where they shouldn’t be, it can cause problems for the blood vessels there, causing them to distend and cause rosacea.
Treatment Plans
Only a dermatologist can accurately diagnose rosacea. But we can help you treat it. While some practitioners just work on improving the skin barrier (and we’re big believers in keeping it in good shape), we want to help you find out the root cause of your rosacea or flare-ups.
We can help you do some things in the treatment room and at home to figure out what works for your unique skin. In general, with our clients with rosacea, we work on improving circulation, rebalancing the skin microbiome, and reducing inflammation. But we can work with you to get a plan just for you.
If you have rosacea symptoms, we encourage you to go online and book an appointment with SPA Melissa Allen. You don’t have to live with red, irritated skin! We can help you have the beautiful skin you really want.
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