Remember as a child it was always a compliment to be pink-cheeked and rosy? Well, as an adult, having chronic pink cheeks and looking “flushed” is a huge annoyance, not to mention uncomfortable and embarrassing. I was diagnosed with rosacea back in 2001. My mom has perfect skin, so I believe it can be attributed to my German father’s side. Rosacea is more common among fair-skin people, typically Gaelic or northern European and is characterized by redness or “ruddiness” in the cheeks but can also affect other parts of the face, including the eyes and even your chest. The pink tinge can also be accompanied by itchiness, blotchiness and feelings of warmth. Basically, very uncomfortable and embarrassing. Luckily, there are a number of solutions available to address this chronic condition. The first thing to do is see a dermatologist. They can quickly diagnose the condition and provide treatment options. I used Metrogel for years, which is a prescription gel that is applied as needed. Another option at this level is laser treatments. Personally, this is my gold standard for long lasting results. While you can cover up rosacea with makeup, the best thing to do is zap the underlying vessels with a laser targeted for this condition. This is a more pricey option, but if you go to a respected medspa, you can get a laser treatment for less than if a dermatologist does the procedure. I typically go for a laser treatment twice a year and this has really helped to keep my skin more calm and less reactive. Even with this option, however, you can get “flare ups”. This is due in part to weather, stress, diet, and reactions to makeup. Regardless how vigilant you can be, you will have flareups. The key is to figure out what you were eating, doing, etc. when these occurred and try to avoid them in the future. I find that my basic triggers are: indoor heat during winter, alcohol and dairy products. As far as makeup, I LOVE LOVE LOVE makeup and like nothing more than to try new products. However, my skin will let me know very quickly when it’s not happy with what I’m doing. So my recommendation is to STICK TO BASICS. If your skin is happy and staying calm, then don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Stick with what you’re doing! There are a lot of websites out there that talk about rosacea and triggers. Each person is different so you have to figure out what your particular triggers are and what works for you. Here are some helpful links, as well as where I go for my laser treatments. Also some tried and true BASIC products that I think are wonderfully gentle for people with rosacea, or skin that’s just acting out. IMPORTANT: Just because something says it’s “natural” and “gentle” doesn’t mean it will work for you! Some of the most natural substances can actually cause serious irritation. Always patch test first! I’ll get into my daily skin care routine on another post. Until then, here’s to calm skin!
XO, Char
http://www.rosacea.orghttp://www.medsparejuvenate.comhttps://
http://www.aveneusa.com/concerns/redness
https://www.clinique.com/redness-solutions-skin-care-
https://www.herbivorebotanicals.com/collections/f-a-c-e/products/lapis-facial-oil-1https://
