Welcome back to another blog post in the skin care series.
Are you eager to find out where these flare-ups are randomly coming from? Are you desperate to find out what could be causing them? Do you have clients that need a little extra support in addition to their current skin care routine. This post will give you an understanding into Rosacea, what it is and how we can treat it nutritionally...
First of all, What is Rosacea?
Rosacea is a long-term skin condition that mainly affects the face. It's more common in women and people with lighter skin, but symptoms can be worse in men.
What does Rosacea look like?
Redness (blushing) across your nose, cheeks, forehead and chin that may come and go.
Burning or stinging feeling when using water or skincare products
Dry skin
Swelling (particularly around the eyes)
Yellow-orange patches on the skin
Sore eyelids
Thickened skin (particularly on the nose - usually appears after many years)
What is the best treatment for Rosacea?
Although, Rosacea cannot be cured, it can be treated with help from a GP, skin care specialist and by learning what your individual triggers are - which can help massively to control the symptoms. Liaise with your GP or specialist to talk about some possible methods that work well for you.
Some triggers can make symptoms worse, This is another area which is definitely a not one size fits all approach. You might find some triggers affect some more than others. Some of these include dietary triggers. Which is where I come in...
So, What are some common dietary triggers of Rosacea?
Alcohol
Spicy foods such as chilli, cayenne, red peppers and bell peppers.
Cheese
Caffeine
Hot drinks
Chocolate.
This is not to say by any means to completely restrict yourself or feel guilt when consuming or enjoying yourself, it is just to make you aware and understand your triggers and maybe consume more mindfully at times. Because if I do say so myself, I couldn’t personally live without cheese!
How can you understand your individual triggers of Rosacea?
A great way of understanding how your own personal symptoms are affect is keeping a food journal and describe the severity of your rosacea symptoms through-out the day. Over time you can narrow down which particular foods triggers you and how much.
That being said not all triggers are dietary related. Here are some common triggers that are not dietary related to keep you aware and deepen your understanding of where your flare-ups may come from...
Extreme Temperatures,
Weather,
Emotional Stress,
Exercise,
Cosmetic Ingredients,
Changing in the body
Hormones
Over-the-Counter Medication.
Is there anything else?
There may also be a link between gut health and rosacea. A large clinical study found that a high number of adults with rosacea also had gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Foods that help promote good bacteria in the body, promoting gut health may help reduce rosacea symptoms.
What foods promote gut health?
These include fiber-rich foods, prebiotics, and probiotics. Prebiotic foods may help keep the gut environment healthy for good bacteria. Probiotic foods may help to add more good microorganisms to your intestines.
I hope this all helps on your journey to understanding your skin better!
If you have questions or wish to pursue further support with your nutrition or a diet which helps to improve your Rosacea, send me an email.
Clairemacenutrition@gmail.com
