Skin Care Tip of the Day: 10 Tips to Help with Rosacea and Other Inflammatory Skin Conditions

Skin Care Tip of the Day: 10 Tips to Help with Rosacea and Other Inflammatory Skin Conditions

It has been reported that 16 million Americans suffer from rosacea, an inflammatory skin disorder that can cause redness, pimples, and broken capillaries. Then there are those of us, who do not suffer from rosacea, but have visibly red skin on a daily basis. We will be discussing what can be done to help reduce the red appearance and improve skin irritation.

First and Foremost, you should consult your doctor before beginning any OTC/home care plan to make sure it does not contraindicate with any of your medications. Here are some tips to help combat and calm irradiated skin. The first two must be done by a doctor and the rest can be purchased OTC.

1. Oral Medications- If you are suffering from rosacea or suspect rosacea, consult your physician or dermatologist for medication to aid in your treatment.

2. Topical Medications- Many topical medications can be prescribed by your doctor and will greatly help reduce skin inflammation.

3. Redness Relief by SkinMedica. This is a great product that has been proven to show visible results in redness reduction in two weeks. It is available for $80 in our office and it should last you over 3 months. Redness Relief has CalmPlex™(4-Ethoxybenzaldehyde) to reduce the appearance of visible redness, and Niacinamide to enhance the barrier function of the skin. It can be used as your moisturizer and treatment cream.

4. Stay away from products that have known skin irritants such as alcohol, witch hazel, fragrance, menthol, peppermint and eucalyptus oil.

5. Life style changes can significantly reduce the amount of flare ups. Avoid excessive sun exposure, heat, wind, and alcohol.

6. Reducing your emotional stress levels has also proven to be helpful in over 79% of rosacea patients surveyed.

7. EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46. Broad Spectrum protection and niacinamide to improve barrier function of skin.

8. Keep a food diary to link any foods consumed to your flare ups. Spicy foods are known to make rosacea worse.

9. Stick to 1 or 2 skin care products unless directed to use more by your dermatologist. Too many products actually irritate sensitive skin, causing rosacea to become inflamed.

10. Pay attention to your skin. Note any changes in irritation and inflammation, and record and new products or food consumed that day. The more information you can provide your dermatologist with, the better he or she will be able to prescribe the best treatment for your individual rosecea.

It is important to remember that no two patients are exactly the same, and what triggers your rosecea may or may not trigger the next persons. The more detailed reports you can keep on your level of irritation, the better idea your dermatologist will have when it comes to helping you. Take pictures between appointments of good days and bad days and make sure you document your diet, sun exposure, and products used on those days.