Rosacea: Causes, Symptoms & Skincare
When it comes to rosacea, this skin condition can be a little bit trickier to treat fully, especially if you’ve got other skin concerns to address such as acne and hyperpigmentation. Alongside acne, it’s a skin condition that many people underestimate when it comes to calming down symptoms and the appearance of it.
There is no cure for rosacea per se, but it is possible to reduce the appearance of rosacea on skin. However, dealing with rosacea-prone skin starts with having an understanding of this skin condition in the first place – here's our guide to this delicate skin condition.
What is Rosacea?
What is rosacea in the first place? Is rosacea just the same as having a red face? Well, yes and no. There’s more to rosacea than just surface level redness – there's a few more signs to look for that could point to rosacea in skin.
It's true that one of the first signs of rosacea is a persistent redness in your skin – especially a redness that appears quickly and seems to linger. However, over time, rosacea can cause bumps, uneven skin texture, and especially in men, an enlarged nose due to thickening of the skin.
Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser
Traditional cleansers are often too stripping for rosacea-prone skin; this Dermalogica cleanser works to gently cleanse skin without causing irritation.
Common signs of rosacea in skin are:
- Easily flushed skin
- A stinging, burning feeling
- Extreme sensitivity
- Easily visible veins and capillaries
- Acne-like lesions
- Thick skin, especially on the nose
While these are all common signs of rosacea, this skin condition can only be diagnosed by a medical professional – however, if any of this sounds familiar to you, it could be worth bringing up your concerns at your next GP visit.
Anne Semonin Extreme Comfort Cream
Fortified with nourishing plant oils to lock essential hydration into your skin, this moisturiser from Anne Semonin is perfect for soothing dryness caused by rosacea.
What Causes Rosacea?
Could certain skincare products cause rosacea to occur? Understanding what can cause or trigger rosacea in the first place will go a long way to helping to calm down redness and reduce its visible effects on your skin.
The truth is, medical professionals aren’t sure of a single cause of rosacea. It's thought that a combination of hereditary factors and immune response can make someone more prone to it, but the exactly cause isn’t clear.
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream
This K-Beauty Cream from Dr. Jart is fortified with ceramides – an essential skincare ingredient that strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier.
If your skin is prone to rosacea, you might find that a combination of external factors can cause flare ups – this includes:
- Alcohol
- Spicy Food
- Sun Exposure
- Wind Exposure
- Exercise
- Drying Skincare
Yes, it's true that certain skincare habits and products could cause a flare up in rosacea – however, that’s mainly due to the fact that a weakened moisture barrier goes hand in hand with rosacea.
Your moisture barrier can be weakened through over-exfoliation, lack of hydration, and using stripping cleansers. A strong moisture barrier is really the foundation of healthy skin – and if your moisture barrier isn’t healthy, it could be the tipping point for tell-tale redness, sensitivity, and bumps that come along with rosacea.
Anne Semonin Super Active Serum
This serum contains azelaic acid, one of the best skincare ingredients to use to calm rosacea.
Best Skincare Ingredients for Rosacea
While clinical treatments are the best call to action when it comes to truly diminishing the look of rosacea on your skin, there are skincare ingredients that you can call on in every day skincare products to help deal with the redness and sensitivity. Here’s our guide to our four favourite skincare ingredients that help with rosacea!
Azelaic Acid
While azelaic acid is usually prescribed in percentages greater than 10% as a medical treatment for rosacea, did you know that you can find this powerhouse ingredient in over-the-counter skincare, too? Studies have found that Azelaic Acid works effectively to reduce rosacea thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory abilities.
Ceramides
When it comes to bringing your skin’s acid mantle back to life, ceramides are a must-have skincare ingredient with clinically proven results. Because of ceramides’ unique ability to help skin hold onto essential moisture and fortify the moisture barrier, ceramides are a valuable skincare ingredient that will go a long way to keeping rosacea-prone skin comfortable and moisturised.
Declaré Stress Balance Anti-Irritation Serum
Created exactly for sensitive, redness-prone skin, this serum from Declaré is packed with soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica and Panthenol to calm angry, red skin.
Niacinamide
Another superstar skincare ingredient for reducing skin sensitivity, Niacinamide is a fantastic addition to your routine. Studies have found that Niacinamide is able to improve the hydration of rosacea-prone skin, leaving it feeling less red and irritated.
Centella Asiatica
Another powerhouse of anti-inflammatory benefits and deep hydration, this natural plant extract is amazing at soothing redness and increasing your skin’s hydration levels. Centella Asiatica is rich in antioxidants and unique anti-inflammatory compounds that do two crucial things: reduce irritation and help to rebuild a compromised moisture barrier.
Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Calming Tiger Grass Mist
This face mist uses a blend of Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica to refresh and soothe your skin.
Now that you know what rosacea-prone skin looks like and what you can do about it, we hope we’ve helped you get your beauty affairs in order!
Or, if you just want to create a skincare routine easily based on your skin type, try our skin analysis! Your results include an explanation of your skin type, as well as our best recommendations just for your skin type and skin goals.
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