When something is part of your face, it never occurs to you that it isn’t meant to be there. For years I had dismissed the redness in my skin as a natural rosy glow and was quite surprised to be diagnosed with not one but two types of rosacea this year. Armed with this information, I’ve been able to reduce my symptoms and help my skin to look a little less irritated on a day to day basis. Here are a few things you might not know about rosacea, and some things I’ve learned along the way…
1. Know what you’re dealing with
Rosacea is a skin condition that, according to the British Skin Foundation, affects 1 in 10 people in the UK. There are a few different types of rosacea, and you could have one or a few. Personally, I have two types: one that displays a texture-free degree of redness at all times, and another that flares up occasionally with a bumpy rash.
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Many things can cause redness in the skin, so be sure to see a specialist if you think you have rosacea. It may be that a few simple tweaks to your routine could be all that you need to reduce the redness. And if you do have rosacea, they’ll be able to advise you on the best products to use to manage it.
2. Some products are better to use than others
Now that you know that you have rosacea, what can you do to treat it? When it comes to skincare, opting for simple, fragrance-free solutions is going to great. Personally, I find that a simple La Roche Posay skincare routine works well for me, and use lots of CeraVe products too. The great thing about these brands is that they’re fuss-free, readily available and won’t break the bank. In addition, your doctor or dermatologist may prescribe a treatment cream if they feel your skin will benefit from it.
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Another crucial step for everybody, but especially those with rosacea, is wearing a high SPF every single day. Whether it looks like a sunny day or not, your skin is exposed to all kinds of sun radiation at all times. Heat and sunshine will further aggravate rosacea, so apply liberally every morning.
3. Changes in behaviour are just as useful as beauty products
The simplest of behaviour changes can make a world of difference to managing your rosacea. Reducing the temperature in your shower will have an instant impact on the heat and redness in your skin. And as for flannels – and this was hard for me – you’ll need to ditch them. Unfortunately, your skin is already prone to redness, so any further aggravators are just going to drive it wild.
Using something creamy to remove your make-up will still ensure that you achieve a thorough cleanse but everything will be easily removed with just your hands and water. I trust that you won’t even attempt to use a face wipe to remove your make-up, because they’re full of alcohol which will annoy even those with the best of skin. Try the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, the Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser or the La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser for best results.
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4. Identifying triggers will help you enormously
My friend Lex from Talonted Lex blog also has rosacea, and she’s created a really helpful bank of assets on her website. Her thinking is that if you monitor the symptoms of your rosacea alongside your habits – for example noticing flare-ups each time you eat spicy food – you’ll be able to make changes and manage your outbreaks. Life is for living and I personally know that things like red wine and sugary food will flare mine up but I still indulge in them. I do, however, think twice about opting for such choices the night before a special occasion, or when I want my skin to look and feel its best.
5. You can’t get rid of rosacea permanently, but you can significantly reduce the appearance of it
One of the things that I think it’s important to do with rosacea is accept it. A little redness in my skin doesn’t change the fact that I am a good person with great friends and a happy life! Use the information above to keep one step ahead of your symptoms, and make peace with the little flush of rosiness in your cheeks.
Hopefully, that may have answered some of your burning (excuse the pun) questions about redness. But if I’ve missed something, please feel free to reach out to me @MixedGemsBeauty on Instagram.
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