What is rosacea? Rosacea is a chronic skin disease that affects over 400 million people worldwide. Scientists are still unsure precisely what causes rosacea but they have been able to find ways to treat its symptoms and improve the quality of life of those affected, for example by focusing on reducing levels of bodily inflammation. Natural remedies for rosacea that are gaining traction include dietary intervention, aromatherapy and - the most effective of all - at-home laser light therapy.

Rosacea generally develops between the ages of 30 and 50 and tends to manifest differently from person to person. Rosacea can appear similar to blushing, sunburn or ruddy cheeks, but flare ups can also bring about the presence of small red bumps that are often filled with pus and can be mistaken for acne. Rosacea tends not to be present all the time and rather occurs in cycles. Typically, rosacea will affect the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead, but can spread to other parts of the face and body in more severe cases.

You are significantly more likely to develop rosacea if you have fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes, and if you are of northern European descent. Women are also more susceptible than men to the condition but when men do develop it they will often experience more severe symptoms.

Whilst the effect of antibiotics can be to temporarily reduce redness, over the longer term they can actually make rosacea worse. This is because the reduced gut health that can result from prolonged antibiotic use has actually been implicated in long-term worsening of rosacea symptoms.

There are many ways to treat rosacea naturally and effectively without resorting to antibiotics.

The LYMA Laser is incredibly powerful and contains a state-of-the-art and totally unique filtered beam which works to diffuse a tiny pinprick of light over a large surface area of skin. Whereas the power in generic beauty lasers will typically register somewhere around the 15 milliwatt mark, the LYMA laser registers closer to 560 milliwatts, penetrating deep into the skin and getting to the root of rosacea-causing inflammation.

It is by harnessing this power and successfully infiltrating the skin that the LYMA Laser is able to go to work on the inflammatory response buried deep within the layers of the skin.

Furthermore, it is the only laser treatment on the market that has been optimised for all skin tones.

What results can you expect to see with the LYMA Laser?

After using the laser on the problem areas for just 15 minutes per day for four weeks, Jancee Dunn experienced reduced appearance of the symptoms of skin redness.

Furthermore, clinical trials over a five-week period have demonstrated that using the LYMA Laser twice a day for a month results in an average reduction in hyperpigmentation by 64%, blemishes by 56% and wrinkle depth by 53.8%.

Food can play a crucial part in rosacea and skin flare-ups so knowing which foods to avoid and which foods help rosacea and skin redness is important to managing the condition.

Common foods that trigger rosacea are:

• Dairy - including yoghurt, cheese, sour cream
• Spicy and thermally hot foods
• Citrus fruits, tomatoes and bananas
• Foods high in histamine
• Soy sauce
• Yeast extract
• Vinegar

Foods that help calm inflamed skin are:

• ish high in omega 3 - salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel and lake trout
• Nuts and seeds - walnuts, hemp seeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds
• Peanut butter
• Eggs
• Olive oil

Natural treatment for rosacea also comes in the form of making smart lifestyle choices. Avoiding the food triggers listed previously and limiting alcohol consumption are often the most straightforward of daily habits to adopt in improving the appearance of rosacea and lessening flare-ups. Arming yourself with some effective de-stressing techniques can also help and being aware of your exposure to extreme temperatures, although perhaps less avoidable, can be predicted.

Before you invest in specialist skincare products for rosacea, make sure you adopt a good skincare regime for rosacea first. Dermatologists recommend the following routine:

1. Cleanse skin with a gentle, non-stripping face cleanser to remove make-up, impurities and excess oil.

2. Apply a calming facial serum and lightly pat it gently into the skin.

3. Moisturise to prevent water loss that dries out skin and heightens sensitivity.

4. Wear SPF every day to protect skin from harmful UV rays that cause rosacea flare-ups.

5. Avoid grainy facial scrubs and rough flannels and sponges. Anything that scratches the skin will exacerbate areas of rosacea and sensitivity.

Skincare Ingredients To Avoid.

• Alcohol or acetone
• Camphor

   

• Fragrances and perfumed products

   

• Glycolic acid

   

• Lactic acid

   

• Menthol or peppermint

   

• Sodium lauryl sulphate (often found in shampoos and toothpaste)

   

• Urea

   

• Insect repellants

   

• Witch hazel

   

• Eucalyptus oil

Our advice:

To maintain consistency for skin, it’s advisable to use multiple skincare products from the same range. Highly advanced make-up formulations now exist to be non-irritating, effective at concealing and some even go as far as to include ingredients that treat rosacea.

The best person to speak to about rosacea is a board-certified dermatologist and if you can find one who specialises in rosacea, even better. Some dermatologists even specialise incertain types of rosacea, so it’s well worth researching for someone who is highly knowledgeable on the type you have.

When to consult a doctor.

If rosacea is mild and not causing any discomfort, there may not need to seek professional medical help. However, the first action to take should be to consult a doctor or GP to gain an insight and decide if further steps are required from there.

Will dermatologists help?

For the most effective rosacea treatment dermatologists are the best option. They are highly trained skin specialists and can recommend the different avenues of treatment whether it be topical skincare, prescription antibiotics or laser treatment for rosacea and discuss the best treatment plan for you.

Beware the biased advice from clinics.

A fully accredited dermatologist can be trusted to give sound skin advice from a place of knowledge and expertise. However it is prudent to remember that all dermatologists work with laser companies in using their technologies. A dermatologist is not going to recommend a laser that they don’t have in their clinic.

Therefore, it’s important to research any technology they suggest and assess it for yourself.