Spotlight On: What Is Rosacea
Despite initial feelings that you may be suffering in solitude, rosacea is, in fact, a rather common skin condition. Not only do many of our Avicenna Clinic patients visit us about rosacea, but also the NHS estimates as many as one in ten people in the UK have it (while in the USA, the National Rosacea Society estimates 5% of the population there suffer).
While there is currently no known cure for rosacea, there are ways to treat and manage the condition, and its triggers. Here, we concentrate on outlining what exactly rosacea is and what it looks like, as well as our expert dermatologist recommendations for alleviating the irritation of symptoms and treating rosacea redness.
If you would like to understand more about the known triggers of rosacea, please visit our partner feature on rosacea here.
What Is Rosacea And What Does It Look Like?
Rosacea, or acne rosacea, is a chronic inflammatory dermatological condition, where overactive blood vessels under facial skin dilate and cause red rashes, swelling or flushing – something we also refer to as erythema.
The most commonly affected areas are the forehead, cheeks, nose (known as rhinopyma) and chin, though some people develop inflammation in the front of the eye (rosacea keratitis) or swelling and skin-thickening around the eye (lymphoedema).
Given that rosacea most commonly affects the face, even the mildest of cases can cause severe self-consciousness and distress.
How To Treat Rosacea
Understanding what causes rosacea is one of the best ways to help treat it. Getting to know your individual triggers will enable you to effectively keep any flare ups under control.
At Dermatology M, we base our approach to skincare on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine which identify rosacea as an energetic imbalance in your body. We see the condition as a symptom of Qi (blood and energy) being trapped in the lung, stomach or spleen systems, which causes a stagnation of blood, causing inflammation and heat to rise to the face.
A natural treatment of rosacea is therefore required to work in alignment with the body holistically to free these blockages. We have had huge success treating rosacea patients with acupuncture, as well as diet and lifestyle changes, to encourage the free flowing of Qi around the body. We combine this with our carefully hand-crafted, dermatologist-recommended, natural rosacea skincare line created with renowned Chinese herbs and actives known to soothe and calm redness, swelling and discomfort.
With this in mind, rosacea sufferers should avoid fragranced cleansers and moisturisers, as well as conventional skin exfoliators and chemical peels, that further serve to aggravate the skin. Opting instead for a holistic approach and natural topical treatments to soothe the symptom of facial redness.
Internal therapy
Your rosacea may also benefit from internal herbal therapy. In our Avicenna Clinic, we can tailor the individual herbal formulation to meet your needs and extent of rosacea; then adapt the blend accordingly as symptoms improve. Please contact our clinic if you would like to find out more.
A Natural Skincare Routine To Treat Rosacea
Based on extensive scientific research and years of treating rosacea patients, we recommend the following skincare routine to best manage and soothe rosacea redness:
Massage a creamy, unperfumed cleanser such as Jin Yin Hua / Honeysuckle Face Wash into skin to gently clear impurities before rinsing away with cool or tepid water. As hot or very warm water, as well as flannel or muslin cloths, can exacerbate your rosacea so be sure to avoid them.
Next, soak a cotton pad in Jiu Zha Ding / Balancing Tincture and press lightly onto skin. Formulated with soothing Rhubarb and Monnier's Snowparsley extracts plus antioxidant Skullcap Root Extract, it gently helps balance any red or rosacea-prone areas on skin.
To follow, massage a little Jiu Zha Shui Gao / Balancing Cream into skin – reapplying throughout the day whenever you require. Enriched with a powerful blend of renowned actives, including rehydrating Safflower Seed Oil, soothing Evening Primrose Seed Extract and antioxidant Gingko Biloba Leaf, it boosts moisture and promotes skin harmony.
Overnight, treat skin to our intensely soothing Fei Zi Dian Dao Shui / Pure & Clear Night Gel. A potent yet lightweight and comfortable gel texture, this exclusive infusion of Aloe Vera, Tu Da Huang and Huang Lian soothes inflammation as it nourishes, easing redness and rosacea. Every so often, we would also recommend you use Xiao Cuo Mian Mo / Cleanse & Clear Face Mask as a treatment mask.
If you are suffering with facial redness or rosacea and are unsure about the best line of treatment, feel free to contact our team of experts who will be happy to help discuss option with you. Please contact us here.
