Rosacea - Triggers and Tips
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One of the important components of a comprehensive rosacea treatment plan involves preventing and decreasing the severity of rosacea flares by identifying and avoiding certain triggers.
Everyone with rosacea can have different triggers, and some people do not have triggers at all. These triggers can cause rosacea to flare either with a short-term intensification or outbreak or even contribute to long-term progression of symptoms and severity.
Rosacea Flare Triggers
Do any of these cause flushing or cause your rosacea to flare?
- Sunlight
- Hot beverages and foods
- Spicy foods
- Alcohol, especially red wine
- Stress and anxiety
- Hot environments
- Exercise
- Wind and cold
- Some skin and hair products
- Some makeup
Since not everyone has all of these triggers, avoiding all of these things won’t necessarily help your rosacea. However, if you identify you react to some of these, avoiding or decreasing your exposure to them could improve the overall course of your rosacea and treatment plan.
Determine If You Have Rosacea Triggers
The first step is to determine if you react to any of these (or anything else you have identified can flare or worsen your rosacea). Some people may need to keep a log or diary of their activities, foods, beverages, skin/hair/nail products, and exposures to see which of these corresponds to recent flares.
How Can You Avoid Triggers?
Once you determine what causes your rosacea to flare, seems to cause an outbreak, or makes it worse, in many cases you can simply avoid the trigger. Sometimes, it’s not that easy. You can’t stop exercising, but you can be sure to take steps to keep cool: exercise in a cool indoor environment, drink plenty of cool water, and use cool towels or ice. Try exercising in water.
Sun protection and the condition of the overall facial skin health can be very important components of rosacea treatment. Practice aggressive sun avoidance and protection. As always, limit outdoor times to avoid the midday sun, wear a wide hat, stay in the shade, and wear SPF 30 or higher “broad spectrum” sunscreen. Sunscreens should contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide and a silicone-based skin protectant like dimethicone or similar.
Gently cleanse your face twice a day with a cream facial cleanser (avoid foams), and be sure to use a facial moisturizer to keep a healthy skin barrier. Find a moisturizer or sunscreen that contains niacinamide.
Avoid anything else that you find flares your rosacea. Some people have to decrease alcohol or avoid certain types of alcohol, decrease the temperature on foods and beverages, and avoid spicy foods. Everyone should take steps to reduce stress.
Skincare Product Tips
Regarding skincare products and makeup, avoid products that contain alcohol, camphor, fragrance, glycolic or lactic acid, menthol, sodium lauryl sulfate, urea, or witch hazel. Avoid waterproof and “heavy” makeups. Avoid astringents, toners, or any other products that cause dryness, redness, or stinging. Consider a green-tinted makeup to hide redness.
Be sure to contact Fort Lauderdale Dermatology for a comprehensive and customized rosacea skin care evaluation and treatment plan. A board-certified dermatologist is the expert in rosacea management.
Dr. Wilkerson is available for same-day appointments. Contact us today!