From a blast of cold arctic air outside to the heat of the kitchen while baking holiday treats and meals, the winter months pose a host of special conditions that can worsen rosacea symptoms unless precautions are taken. Whether you live in the coldest areas of Minnesota or the milder areas of the South, the winter months can be especially challenging for people with rosacea. Various factors -- from wind and cold to sun exposure, indoor heat and low humidity -- all rank high on the list of common triggers for rosacea.
The desire for a long hot bath in the winter can be irresistible after being out in the cold. But the hot water can further dry and irritate already sensitive skin. Strive for lukewarm water and limit your shower to 4-5 minutes, at the most. Moisturizing comprises of one of the essential skin care elements in winters. The best time to use moisturizer would be within two minutes of coming out of the shower.
Exfoliation can keep your skin glowing in the winter season. Apart from helping you get rid of the dead cells on your skin, exfoliation will also prove effective in reducing lines and wrinkles, refining pore size and improving the overall texture of your skin. The best and gentlest way to exfoliate sensitive skin is to rub lightly using a washcloth. It is not necessary to chemically peel the skin. The harsh chemicals of retinols and exfolients can further damage and irritate already sensitive rosacea skin. But you don’t have to live with dead skin and wrinkles – moisture, hydrate and use a washcloth to gently tone the skin.
One of the body parts that are worst affected by the harsh cold of winters is your lips, which become dry and chapped. So, make sure to wear a lipstick when you go out in the winters. The brighter the shade of your lipstick, the better protection would it offer. Perioral dermatitis can become an issue in the winter months.
Ocular rosacea especially tends to get worse in winter as the eyes become more irritable due to cold and windy weather conditions. Common signs and symptoms of ocular rosacea include increased eye irritation, a watery discharge, eyes that feel gritty or very dry, a bloodshot appearance or the presence of a stye. It is important to protect your eyes from the effects of the wind and cold with UV protected glasses or sunglasses."
Since the snow reflects sunlight, the ultraviolet rays of the sun during the winter are just as intense. Use a sunscreen year round. Sun exposure is a common rosacea trigger, and can affect the face even in winter.
In winter, dryness is the main enemy of your skin. You can add humidity by making use of humidifiers. Regulating indoor temperature during changing weather conditions, as well as maintaining indoor humidity, can be difficult but well worth the effort to avoid flare-ups.
The holidays bring on indoor flurries of activity. Try to minimize the holiday stress, as stress is a potent rosacea trigger. Pace yourself, and do not over-commit to activities. Baking is a favorite holiday tradition but the heat from the stove and oven can trigger rosacea flushing. Take cool-off breaks from holiday baking or cooking. A hot toddy may be a wonderful way to end the evening, it is important to remember that heated beverages and alcohol are rosacea-flushing triggers. That doesn’t mean you have distance yourself from the festivities just practice moderation and let that drink cool before you sip it. Keep the body balanced and well hydrated and you can enjoy the festivities and keep your rosacea under control.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
How Does Rosacea-Ltd Work
Rosacea-Ltd is a vascular constrictor - Use of Rosacea-Ltd leads to a reduction in the size of the capillaries that cause redness and blushing.
Rosacea-Ltd has a neutral pH balance. Many oral and topical treatments for rosacea are very acidic, which often makes for a continual problem for many rosacea sufferers.
Rosacea-Ltd easily penetrates the skin and helps balance the skin's own pH. The penetration by the ingredients easily kills bacteria, virus and fungal cells.
Rosacea-Ltd is anti-inflammatory resulting in reduced facial redness.
Rosacea-Ltd has a neutral pH balance. Many oral and topical treatments for rosacea are very acidic, which often makes for a continual problem for many rosacea sufferers.
Rosacea-Ltd easily penetrates the skin and helps balance the skin's own pH. The penetration by the ingredients easily kills bacteria, virus and fungal cells.
Rosacea-Ltd is anti-inflammatory resulting in reduced facial redness.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Is This Rosacea?
The many symptoms that mimic rosacea and the many skin conditions with symptoms similar to rosacea can make the diagnosis of rosacea difficult. Learning the difference between the symptoms of rosacea, eczema, acne, lupus and psoriasis is necessary to understanding your skin condition.
What is Rosacea? In its classic symptoms rosacea is patchy flushing (redness) and inflammation, particularly on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and around the mouth. It typically appears between the ages of 30 and 50 and affects more women than men. Because the symptoms emerge slowly, rosacea may initially be mistaken for sunburn, leading to a delay in treatment. Rosacea is a hereditary; chronic skin disorder which most often affects the nose, forehead, cheekbones, and chin. Groups of tiny microvessels close to the surface of the skin become dilated, resulting in blotchy red areas with small papules and pustules.The redness can come and go, but eventually it may become permanent. Furthermore, the skin tissue can swell and thicken and may be tender and sensitive to the touch.
The butterfly rash of lupus can also lead to a mis-diagnosis of rosacea. Lupus may be hard to diagnose. It’s often mistaken for other diseases. For this reason, lupus has been called the “great imitator.” The signs of lupus differ from person to person. Some people have just a few signs; others have more. A common symptom of lupus includes a red rash or color change on the face, often in the shape of a butterfly across the nose and cheeks, which can be mistaken for rosacea.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent, but can also affect adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. While there is no permanent cure for acne, it is controllable. Medications used in the treatment of acne can be too harsh or aggressive leading to the onset of rosacea or acne rosacea. Aggressive acne treatments to reduce oiliness of the skin can result in the flaking associated with seborrheic dermatitis.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Psoriasis causes the skin to become inflamed, while producing red, thickened areas with silvery scales. This persistent skin disease occurs most often on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. In some cases, psoriasis is so mild that people don't know they have it. At the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the word Eczema is used to describe all kinds of red, blistering, oozing, scaly, brownish, thickened, and itching skin conditions. Eczema is associated with dry, rough, red, itchy, skin dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding. The most common symptom that people complain about is the itch that is a side effect of eczema. It's sometimes called the 'itch that rashes', meaning that once you start scratching, you develop a rash.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a substance called urushiol, found in the sap of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac, causes Poison Ivy Rash. Toxicodendron dermatitis, also called Allergic phytodermatitis or Rhus dermatitis is an allergic contact dermatitis that occurs from exposure to members of the plant genus Toxicodendron. In North America, this includes poison ivy, poison oak, and, much less frequently, poison sumac. In those who are sensitive, urushiol causes a reaction in the form of a line or streak of rash (sometimes resembling insect bites) within 12-48 hours. Blisters and severe itching will follow redness and swelling. In a few days, the blisters become crusted and begin to scale. The rash will usually take about ten days to heal, sometimes leaving small spots. The rash can affect almost any part of the body, especially areas where the skin is thin.
Insect Bites and Stings can produce local inflammatory reactions that may vary in appearance. Acute reactions may appear as hives; more chronic reactions may appear as inflammatory papule (circumscribed, solid elevations on the skin) or may be characterized by a blister or blisters.
It is possible for these skin conditions to co-exist making successful rosacea treatment a very difficult endeavor. Treating rosacea or other skin conditions need not involve an endless round of laser treatments and antibiotics, it can be as simple as modifying your lifestyle to include positive rosacea health and skin care habits. The treatment of rosacea or any skin condition must involve treatment of the whole body. The key to controlling rosacea is awareness and early intervention.
What is Rosacea? In its classic symptoms rosacea is patchy flushing (redness) and inflammation, particularly on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and around the mouth. It typically appears between the ages of 30 and 50 and affects more women than men. Because the symptoms emerge slowly, rosacea may initially be mistaken for sunburn, leading to a delay in treatment. Rosacea is a hereditary; chronic skin disorder which most often affects the nose, forehead, cheekbones, and chin. Groups of tiny microvessels close to the surface of the skin become dilated, resulting in blotchy red areas with small papules and pustules.The redness can come and go, but eventually it may become permanent. Furthermore, the skin tissue can swell and thicken and may be tender and sensitive to the touch.
The butterfly rash of lupus can also lead to a mis-diagnosis of rosacea. Lupus may be hard to diagnose. It’s often mistaken for other diseases. For this reason, lupus has been called the “great imitator.” The signs of lupus differ from person to person. Some people have just a few signs; others have more. A common symptom of lupus includes a red rash or color change on the face, often in the shape of a butterfly across the nose and cheeks, which can be mistaken for rosacea.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Acne is the term for plugged pores (blackheads and whiteheads), pimples, and even deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and even the upper arms. Acne affects most teenagers to some extent, but can also affect adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. While there is no permanent cure for acne, it is controllable. Medications used in the treatment of acne can be too harsh or aggressive leading to the onset of rosacea or acne rosacea. Aggressive acne treatments to reduce oiliness of the skin can result in the flaking associated with seborrheic dermatitis.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Psoriasis causes the skin to become inflamed, while producing red, thickened areas with silvery scales. This persistent skin disease occurs most often on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back. In some cases, psoriasis is so mild that people don't know they have it. At the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the word Eczema is used to describe all kinds of red, blistering, oozing, scaly, brownish, thickened, and itching skin conditions. Eczema is associated with dry, rough, red, itchy, skin dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding. The most common symptom that people complain about is the itch that is a side effect of eczema. It's sometimes called the 'itch that rashes', meaning that once you start scratching, you develop a rash.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a substance called urushiol, found in the sap of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac, causes Poison Ivy Rash. Toxicodendron dermatitis, also called Allergic phytodermatitis or Rhus dermatitis is an allergic contact dermatitis that occurs from exposure to members of the plant genus Toxicodendron. In North America, this includes poison ivy, poison oak, and, much less frequently, poison sumac. In those who are sensitive, urushiol causes a reaction in the form of a line or streak of rash (sometimes resembling insect bites) within 12-48 hours. Blisters and severe itching will follow redness and swelling. In a few days, the blisters become crusted and begin to scale. The rash will usually take about ten days to heal, sometimes leaving small spots. The rash can affect almost any part of the body, especially areas where the skin is thin.
Insect Bites and Stings can produce local inflammatory reactions that may vary in appearance. Acute reactions may appear as hives; more chronic reactions may appear as inflammatory papule (circumscribed, solid elevations on the skin) or may be characterized by a blister or blisters.
It is possible for these skin conditions to co-exist making successful rosacea treatment a very difficult endeavor. Treating rosacea or other skin conditions need not involve an endless round of laser treatments and antibiotics, it can be as simple as modifying your lifestyle to include positive rosacea health and skin care habits. The treatment of rosacea or any skin condition must involve treatment of the whole body. The key to controlling rosacea is awareness and early intervention.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Rosacea And Seborrheic Dermatitis
35% of patients with rosacea symptoms have seborrheic dermatitis or hives which makes for a most sensitive rosacea treatment skin condition. Seborrheic dermatitis is a non-contagious condition that causes flaking and redness of the skin. It occurs when there is inflammation in areas of the skin where sebaceous (skin oil) glands are concentrated. It usually affects the scalp, but can also affect other parts of the body, such as eyebrows, eyelids, the folds of the nose,lips, behind or inside the ears, in the external ear, the forehead and the chin and the skin of the trunk, particularly around the navel, in the skin folds under the arms, in the groin, or under the breasts. Seborrheic dermatitis appears to run in families. Stress, fatigue, weather extremes, oily skin, infrequent shampoos or skin cleaning, use of lotions that contain alcohol, or skin disorders such as acne or obesity may increase the risk.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Perioral Dermatitis
Rosacea sufferers are sometimes plagued by a rosacea-like eruption around the mouth area. Known as peri-oral dermatitis, peri-oral refers to the facial area around the mouth while dermatitis pertains to inflammation, redness or irritation of the skin. It's not uncommon to observe small red bumps or even pus bumps and mild peeling as the skin is extremely aggravated. This condition may be wrongfully thought of as acne while others believe it to be a manifestation of their rosacea.
Peri-oral dermatitis is often aggravated by fluoridated or tartar-control toothpaste, chapstick, the ingredients in lipstick, and mouthwash. Peri-oral dermatitis is a common skin problem that mostly affects young women, however, occasionally men and children are affected by it. Peri-oral dermatitis occurs primarily among women between the ages of 15 and 40. Peri-oral dermatitis symptoms characteristically involve the mouth area, but generally do not affect the lips themselves. You may also notice flaking of the skin at the site of occurrence. Many times if the flaking is isolated to the lip area it may be mistaken for chapped lips. Often the skin around the nose is affected too, and sometimes it can affect the area under and around the eyes.
The most common causes of peri-oral dermatitis are topical steroid use and fluoridated and/or tartar control toothpaste. According to the International Rosacea Foundation, discontinuing the use of fluoridated or tartar control toothpaste for six months may help reduce the symptoms of peri-oral dermatitis.
Peri-oral dermatitis tends to be aggravated by the following conditions or circumstances:
Cleansing the facial skin with the wrong type of soap. A soap-free cleanser such as Cetaphil or Neutrogena is recommended. Avoid harsh scrubbing of the area.
Facial scrubs or acne treatments may cause or worsen the condition.
Applying face creams regularly to the area bounded by the cheek folds and chin, or around the eyes in the case of peri-ocular dermatitis. These creams include moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams, cream cleansers, make-up foundation, and sunscreens. Many of the moisturizers and creams currently on the market contain sunscreens or ingredients that can cause or worsen the peri-oral condition. Anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams contain retinols, citric acids, beta-hydroxy acids or alpha hydroxy acids which increased facial redness and skin irritation.
Applying topical steroids to the facial area. The more potent the steroid cream, the more rapid and severe the occurrence of the peri-oral dermatitis.
Lip balms, glosses and lipsticks that extend over the actual lip area can also aggravate the condition.
It can take many weeks for the condition to clear. In severe cases treatment may consist of application of a steroid cream, which you then taper off of by using less, or a weaker strength of in the following days.
Peri-oral dermatitis is often aggravated by fluoridated or tartar-control toothpaste, chapstick, the ingredients in lipstick, and mouthwash. Peri-oral dermatitis is a common skin problem that mostly affects young women, however, occasionally men and children are affected by it. Peri-oral dermatitis occurs primarily among women between the ages of 15 and 40. Peri-oral dermatitis symptoms characteristically involve the mouth area, but generally do not affect the lips themselves. You may also notice flaking of the skin at the site of occurrence. Many times if the flaking is isolated to the lip area it may be mistaken for chapped lips. Often the skin around the nose is affected too, and sometimes it can affect the area under and around the eyes.
The most common causes of peri-oral dermatitis are topical steroid use and fluoridated and/or tartar control toothpaste. According to the International Rosacea Foundation, discontinuing the use of fluoridated or tartar control toothpaste for six months may help reduce the symptoms of peri-oral dermatitis.
Peri-oral dermatitis tends to be aggravated by the following conditions or circumstances:
Cleansing the facial skin with the wrong type of soap. A soap-free cleanser such as Cetaphil or Neutrogena is recommended. Avoid harsh scrubbing of the area.
Facial scrubs or acne treatments may cause or worsen the condition.
Applying face creams regularly to the area bounded by the cheek folds and chin, or around the eyes in the case of peri-ocular dermatitis. These creams include moisturizers, anti-wrinkle creams, cream cleansers, make-up foundation, and sunscreens. Many of the moisturizers and creams currently on the market contain sunscreens or ingredients that can cause or worsen the peri-oral condition. Anti-wrinkle or anti-aging creams contain retinols, citric acids, beta-hydroxy acids or alpha hydroxy acids which increased facial redness and skin irritation.
Applying topical steroids to the facial area. The more potent the steroid cream, the more rapid and severe the occurrence of the peri-oral dermatitis.
Lip balms, glosses and lipsticks that extend over the actual lip area can also aggravate the condition.
It can take many weeks for the condition to clear. In severe cases treatment may consist of application of a steroid cream, which you then taper off of by using less, or a weaker strength of in the following days.
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