Skin Care Talks » Rosacea

Children and Rosacea

skeenz — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:30:02 +0000

Adults are usually the ones that suffer from the problem of rosacea. In fact, middle-aged women are more likely to develop rosacea than anyone else. Men can also suffer from this skin condition, but the instances are fewer. However, men with rosacea often suffer from more serious outbreaks. While adults do have rosacea more often, children can also develop this skin condition. If you are a parent and your child is suffering from rosacea, here are some facts you should know.

It is true that most children do not suffer from rosacea, but it can certainly happen. This can affect children of all ages, including the very young and teenagers. What is worse is that rosacea will never really go away and children must learn to live with the skin condition. Parents may first notice that the child flushes or blushes very easily or that the flushing does not seem to go away. Other normal signs that would indicate rosacea in children is the redness coupled with swelling, or itching or burning and pimple-like pustules. If you notice an acne-looking condition on your child and your child is not quite old enough to suffer from acne, this should be a warning sign to you.

Once your child has been diagnosed with rosacea, there are several treatment options. Some parents may want to look at alternative or natural healing methods. This can include changing the diet and using alternative remedies such as herbal lotions and creams. Many of these treatments work quite well, but there are other options that you have as well. First off, you should discontinue using irritating soaps and lotions on your child. This can only make the problem worse. Even products designed to help fight acne can cause rosacea flare ups. Sun can also exacerbate rosacea, so you will want to keep your child out of the sun, or make sure your child wears a good hypoallergenic sun block and hat. In severe cases of child rosacea, steroids may be an option. This, however, should only be used after all other methods and been tried and have failed.

It is also important to note that children that suffer from rosacea may have this disease in the family. Often, rosacea is hereditary. If your child suffers from this problem, find out if anyone else in your family also suffers. In addition, it is important to remember that rosacea is what is called a progressive disorder. This means that it never really goes away and it could actually get worse over time. This is why it is important that you find a treatment that works for your child and pinpoint exactly what causes the flushing outbreaks. It could be that there are certain triggers such as foods, embarrassment or even the sun.

It is possible that your child’s rosy red cheeks could be something more serious. If your child is plagued with red, inflamed skin, see your doctor and find a treatment that works for your child. Your child is counting on you.

How Does Rosacea Affect Your Body?

skeenz — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 02:30:02 +0000

Rosacea usually affects your facial skin but can appear on your neck and chest areas. The facial structures that are most affected by rosacea are the cheeks, chin, forehead, nose and eyes. Untreated rosacea can lead to nose disfigurement.

Rhinophyma:

This is the complication from rosacea that affects the nose area. It is a growth of thickened skin that occurs in the later years of rosacea and is usually from letting rosacea go untreated. The thick bumps usually appear on the lower half of the nose and possibly the nearby cheek areas. This complication usually happens to males. Treatment usually requires surgical or laser repair.

Rosacea Ocular:

This is a complication from rosacea that affects the eyes and appears much like conjunctivitis. Damage to the cornea can result if left untreated. If damage occurs to the cornea, it is called rosacea keratitis. This condition can impair the individual’s vision.

Rosacea Facts:

The cause of rosacea is unknown. The early stage of rosacea usually only involves a blush or flush that is prolonged in nature, resulting in reddened skin. Emotional factors can trigger the blush such as anger, fear, anxiety even stress.

Environmental factors can also trigger rosacea such as harsh winds, extreme cold or hot temperatures. Changes in humidity can also trigger rosacea. Extreme heat exposure from the sun can aggravate rosacea.

Rosacea is not acne. Medication used to treat acne is not appropriate to treat rocacea. It can in fact irritate the skin if you use acne medications on your skin when what you have is rocacea. Irritating your skin will worsen your rosacea.

Proper treatment for rosacea consists of both oral antibiotics and a topical anti-inflammatory/antibiotic such as metrocream. The topical cream is used to treat the redness and the inflammation. Other topical antibiotic creams used to treat rosacea are: erythomycin and clindamycin (cleocin). Some short-term usage of steroid – topical cortisone preparations have been used to reduce the inflammation. Doctors have been experimenting with other topical treatments such as Retin-A, or Accutane.

What You Should Avoid If You Have Rosacea:

Try to avoid touching your face as doing so can irritate the skin and worsen your condition.

Certain cosmetics, hair sprays, toners and astringents can irritate the skin.

Avoid harsh soaps, facial cleansers that are drying or contain alcohol.

Avoid applying moisturizers until after your topical medication has dried.

Avoid extreme heat as that can lead to overheating and flushing of the face.

Avoid all foods and drinks that are very hot or food that is spicy

In Summary:

The physical ways that rosacea affects your body can play havoc with your mental and emotional responses to how people look at you. Embarrassment over the state of your complexion can lead to more stress and blushing which further aggravates your rosacea.

Seeking medical intervention is the best thing you can do because without treatment rosacea worsens.

There is no cause yet to be determined for rosacea, and the condition is long-term. There is hope though as individuals who have rosacea can learn how to avoid triggers and use facial cleansers, moisturizers and sun block that does not contain any skin irritations. Dermatologists can prescribe both oral and topical medications that can bring relief from the symptoms of rosacea.

Exploring the Facts About Rosacea

skeenz — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:30:03 +0000

Many people have never heard of rosacea. Some learn of it for the first time while sitting in a doctor’s office, and still others may see pictures of it from the glossy pages of a magazine advertising some skin cream. Rosacea is a skin disease that appears to be similar to acne but with a reddened appearance to the skin that resembles a flush. The usual areas of the face that are affected by rosacea are the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose – generally the middle third of the face (if the face was divided into thirds horizontally).

Males and females can get rosacea usually between the ages of 30 and 50. Even though it tends to happen to women more often than men, when males do get rosacea it tends to be more severe for them.

It is really not known what causes rosacea although certain facts concerning the skin condition are known. Facts, such as that people who have rosacea tend to blush easily, and that there are emotional, weather and chemical triggers for the condition. The emotional factors include anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and stress. Weather changes can be extreme cold or heat and also harsh winds or changes in humidity levels. The condition can be aggrevated by exposure to the sun’s rays. There is a theory that a mite found in hair follicles could play a significant part in the development of rosacea. Other theories include the bacteria heliobacter pytori, and medications such as vasodilators.

Signs and symptoms to watch for are a prolonged flush to the facial skin, enlarged facial blood vessels and pimples in the middle third region of the face. Rosacea lasts for years and if it is not treated the condition will worsen. Disfigurement can occur especially around the nose called “rhinophyma”, which consists of a growth that looks like an enlarged red nose, puffy cheeks and thick bumps on the lower half of the nose and the nearby cheek areas. Males usually have this rhinophyma condition. Severe cases of rhinophyma may cause surgical repair. The nose is not the only facial area to find special attention from this condition; the eyes can have complications as well from rosacea.

Involvement of the eyes results in burning or itching and possibly a gritty feeling that may result in a diagnosis of conjunctivitis. Untreated this may progress to damaged corneas. This could cause impaired vision.

There is no cure for rosacea however, there are treatments that can bring relief and minimize the physical characteristics of the disease.

Individuals who have rosacea should not use medications intended for acne no matter how tempting it is to do so. Certain acne medications can actually irritate the skin.

Proper treatment for rosacea include oral medications such as tetracycline, a topical ointment such as metrondazole and also erythomycin and clindamycin. sometimes something that does not require a prescription usch as antibiotic creams such as cleocin, topical cortisone steroid preparatoins and also trelinoin retin-A or isotretoin accutane or permethrin cream used when mites are suspected.

Finding the Right Treatment for Your Rosacea

skeenz — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:15:04 +0000

Rosacea may not have a permanent cure but there are several treatment options available that can help relieve symptoms and reduce the intensity and incidence of the skin condition symptoms particular to your type of rosacea.

Treatment will depend on the subtype of rosacea you have and the severity of each flare-up. Early diagnosis of the condition and the general health of the individual will have an impact on the treatments of choice. The key to minimizing the effects of rosacea and reversing the appearance of the symptoms of rosacea are dependant on catching the flare-up early.

The usual first symptom of the disease is the flush or blush that occurs in the affected skin area. This occurs before the pustules or red bumps and also before the blood vessels have a chance to further dilate or permanently dilate (which occurs when treatment is ignored).

Medications:

There are three general types of medications used to treat rosacea. The three types of medications include: oral antibiotics, topical antibiotics and shampoos. Some cases of severe rosacea are treated using topical steroids but this should be avoided if possible due to the fact that topical steroids can make dilation of blood vessels worse. Topical steroids can also actually cause something called, “steroid-induced rosacea”.

The topical antibiotics used most often to treat rosacea are metronidazole and tetracycline stable such as doxycycline, minocycline and tetracycline. Antibiotics are the first line of defense prescribed by doctors and dermatologists. Antibiotics help to reduce the number of papule and pus that forms in them. Antibiotics can also reduce the amount of redness and flushing that occurs.

Laser Treatment

Extreme cases of papule formation or redness may require laser treatment. The subtype that generally may require laser treatment is phymatous rosacea. Carbon dioxide laser, vascular laser or intense pulse light may be prescribed in this case.

Self-care treatment options:

Avoid the things that trigger your rosacea flare-ups such as weather, skin irritants, cold or hot drinks and foods, alcoholic beverages and medications that contain vasodilating drugs or are topical steroids.

Use common sense in daily skin care by using products on your skin designed for sensitive skin, avoid hot or cold baths and showers, do not use loofahs or rough towels and also avoid all skin irritants like cosmetics, creams and lotions that contain dyes or perfumes and try to avoid environmental pollutant particles such as going outside on a windy day in areas where debris, and other irritants are likely to be flying in the air.

Keep notes on what treatments you have tried and what works and what does not work for you. It would be good to also keep notes regarding the household products that you use especially those that come in contact with your face (pillows that touch your face at night – what are they washed in?).

You, your doctor or dermatologist and their medical staff should all work together as a team to ascertain the best treatment options for your rosacea. Keep in touch with your team members so that as your rosacea changes your treatment plan can be adjusted so that you remain in control of your symptoms and your skin condtion.

A Look at Rosacea

skeenz — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:03 +0000

Rosacea, a common skin disease, can be a devastating condition for many people. This condition affects about one-third of the face and leaves the sufferer with a red, acne-like rash on the forehead, cheeks and nose. It can leave a person feeling frustrated with treatment options, the recurrence rate and feeling embarrassed and self conscious. The good news is that there are treatments for rosacea and while the condition never really goes away completely, there are things you can do to help. Here is a closer look at rosacea.

What exactly is rosacea?

Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects more middle-aged adults than anyone else. It most commonly strikes people who are fair skinned and is more frequent in women than men. Men who do suffer from this problem find that their cases are often more severe than women. When rosacea strikes, it affects primarily the face. You can often see redness on the forehead, the nose and the chin. Often, the cheeks are also affected and can look similar to sunburn or an acne break out. During a breakout of rosacea, the tiny blood vessels in the face dilate and they become more visible on the face.

The exact causes of rosacea are unknown, but it is known that more middle-aged women than anyone else are affected. Those who blush easily are also affected by this condition. It is thought that certain triggers can cause rosacea. These triggers vary, but it is believed that emotions play a large role-stress, fear and even anxiety can trigger a rosacea episode. In addition, some doctors and researchers believe that mites that are often find the hair follicle may also relate to rosacea. Stomach bacteria may also be a cause, although there are no proven facts that support these claims.

When a person first experiences rosacea, they may mistake it for an acne break out. This is because the redness looks much like acne. This will lead people to treat it like acne, but this can actually exacerbate the problem. After the first breakout of rosacea, it is very common for the condition to appear for a time and then disappear for sometime. Many people will notice that their skin never really looks the same again and the color may be “off” or pimples could actually follow the rosacea. In fact, rosacea never really goes away. It can get better, but it will always be present and if it is left untreated, the patient will find that their condition worsens. That is why a good diagnosis is important.

Once you have been diagnosed with rosacea, you might want to consult a dermatologist for a treatment. You have many treatment options depending on the severity of your case. Your doctor will help you find the one that is right for you. Most of the time, a topical solution is given. A good moisturizer and lotions may help lessen the redness and irritation. A certain diet may also help during the worst breakouts.

Foods to Help Clear Up Rosacea

skeenz — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:45:03 +0000

You may have heard a lot about rosacea and the triggers that cause rosacea outbreaks and flare-ups. It is true that most people that suffer from rosacea find that there are certain triggers that make their rosacea worse. Common rosacea triggers include everything from stress and anxiety to the foods that are eaten on a daily basis. Certain foods can cause the blood vessels in your face to dilate and this can result in the redness and flushing that is common to rosacea sufferers. Spicy foods and citrus fruits are both common triggers, dor those suffering from the skin condition. It is also interesting to note that there are foods that can help prevent rosacea flare ups and can help you clear up your skin naturally. Here is a look at foods that may in fact help prevent rosacea outbreaks.

Some researchers believe that fits that are high in carbohydrates such as breads, and pastas can cause your rosacea redness. It is thought that this sugar spike from these foods will cause your body to work overtime to process the foods. And this can cause the blood vessels in your face to dilate, which causes the redness. One thing that you can do when it comes to eating is to reduce the amount of refined products that you eat and switch to a low fat low carbohydrate diet. It is believed that this type of diet can reduce the number of outbreaks as well as the severity. It is also important to stay hydrated when you suffer from rosacea. This is because your skin becomes extremely dry, and the more moisture you put into your body, the better off your skin will be in the long run.

This is the reason why you should watch what you put into your mouth when you want to help control your rosacea. Foods that are made from whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables are perfect to add to your diet when you suffer from rosacea. In addition, foods that are high in liquid are also good to help keep your body hydrated. It is believed that fruits such as blueberries fight varies in cherries can serve as a vascular constrictors, which can help reduce the swelling and redness caused by rosacea. If you want to make your face look clearer than add lean chicken fresh fish to your diet. These are better for you over red meats. If you have a sense of adventure, and don’t mind trying out new foods, then try high-protein tofu and seaweed, which can help your rosacea.

Doctors will also recommend that you make sure that you eat foods that are not too hot temperature wise. You will also want to chew your food slowly, as this will aid in digestion. This can certainly cause a flareup with your rosacea opt for iced tea and caffeine free soft drinks on ice rather than hot drinks. Of course water will be best for your rosacea, because it will keep you well hydrated during the day.

When Surgery Might be an Option for Rosacea

skeenz — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:45:02 +0000

No one ever wants to consider the idea of having unnecessary surgery. However, if you suffer from severe cases of rosacea, surgery may be a good treatment option for you. It is important to remember that your rosacea that will never completely go away, even if you do opt for corrective surgery. Rosacea is a progressive disease, and it may come back after a period of time. With that being said, many dermatologists and plastic surgeons do recommend certain types of surgery for severe or rosacea patients. These can help your skin go back to its natural look, and can leave you feeling confident–the way you felt before, you had rosacea.

A Look at Laser Surgery: Laser surgery is probably the most common type of surgery that is performed on rosacea patients. This is a good option for almost anyone that suffers repeated outbreaks from the skin condition. Laser therapy will remove the broken blood vessels under the skin and can also help reduce the number of red bumps, and the skin thickening, which is often caused by rosacea. This is an out patient treatment option that is often performed a dermatologist or plastic surgeons. A blazer will damage the plug vessels under the skin and cause them to eventually disappear. Each treatment will last about 30 minutes, and many rosacea patients will need multiple treatments before they are completely treated. You may experience some side effects from laser surgery, including redness, swelling and bruising.

Dermabrasion is another common cosmetic treatment given to rosacea patients that will actually wear a way the top layers of the skin. The skin is first treated with a spray that will deaden area. New skin will form causing the dean skin to flake away, giving you a renewed appearance. It is important to note that dermabrasion may not be right for everyone. It can actually leave small scars on your face, depending on the severity of your rosacea.

Plastic Surgery: Plastic surgery is usually not an option unless you have suffered from rosacea for a long time and the result is that you have thickened skin on your face. Sometimes rosacea can affect the noise and a rhinoplasty is needed to restructure the nose completely. Surgery of this type will remove the excess skin around the nose and give it back its original appearance. This should only be used as a last resort, but it can really make a big difference in your appearance. There are several different methods used for this type of surgery and you should talk to your doctor to discuss your options. You might also want to look at your health insurance. This may be considered cosmetic and may not be covered. In this case, you will be financially responsible for your treatment.

It is good to know that there are treatments beyond lotions, creams and oral medications to help the scarring that is caused by rosacea. Most people suffer from only mild cases of rosacea and will not need these treatments. However, some people might need surgical options.

Causes and Symptoms to Expect When You Have Rosacea

skeenz — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:45:02 +0000

Those individuals who have been diagnosed with one of the four subtypes of rosacea can expect symptoms of the skin condition that may vary in intensity but that will however clear and reappear for a lifetime. Although there is no permanent cure for rosacea there are effective treatments that can bring relief from the symptoms. You can also learn what triggers cause your flare-ups to occur so that you can learn to limit your exposure to these triggers or even avoid them altogether.

Scientists and researchers are studying the condition to better understand what causes the rosacea flare-ups and what causes the initial occurrence of the skin condition. While there may not be conclusive evidence yet as to what causes rosacea they do know that rosacea is the result of some kind of irregularity or damage in the blood vessels in the areas where the condition appears. The blood vessel damage may be happening in response to exposure to certain factors or from prolonged or repetitive exposure over a period of time. The expanding and dilation that the blood vessels undergo that causes the symptoms of rosacea (blushing, flushing and appearance of small blood vessels under or on the skin’s surface) to appear.

If left untreated, rosacea will worsen and the vessels will remain permanently dilated leading to the condition of permanent reddening of the skin in that area.

Individuals who have rosacea will start to become accustomed to the “triggers”, those factors that happen before the next rosacea flare-up. These triggers are important keys to preventing future flare-ups or to minimize the severity of them. There are a few main categories of triggers: weather, food and drink, medication, and also chemical skin irritants environmental or product.

Each of these trigger categories contains several elements that should be carefully monitored. A good suggestion to understand what your triggers are would be to keep a rosacea journal. The journal would be a record of what you did, what you ate or drank what the weather was like and what products you put on you skin in the 2 week period leading up to a flare-up of rosacea. After a while of accurately recording as much data as possible from these categories you should see a pattern. Take this journal to your doctor or dermatologist so that you and your medical team can ascertain what your triggers are that precede your rosacea. Once the triggers are determined your treatment plan can include ways to either avoid them or at least lessen the affect they can have on your skin.

Common triggers in the weather category include cold temperatures, heat from the sun, harsh wind and extreme changes in weather.

Common triggers in the food and drink category include beverages that are considered to be temperatures that are hot or cold. Usually drinks that are room temperature or just slightly hot or slightly cold are not triggers (usually). Other beverages that are triggers for most who have rosacea are those containing alcohol because of the affect alcohol has on blood vessel dilation.

Common triggers in the medication category are vasodilating drugs and topical steroids because they have an effect on the way blood vessels behave.

Common triggers in the skin irritant (environmentally or product) are particles in the air that may rub or be harsh on your skin, loofahs, rough towels, and also products that contain dyes, and fragrances. Other products that can irritate the skin are skin toners, exfoliating agents, and astringents used in daily skin care regimens. Cosmetics can also irritate the skin. Those using makeup can look for brands that carry makeup made especially for sensitive skin. Often times these types of cosmetics will have a label that says: “dermatologist tested”. Be sure to still check the label for anything known to irritate your skin. Watch out for laundry and dish soap too as these products can also affect the areas of your skin either directly or by association (doing activities while the products are on your hands like rubbing your face, nose, eyes).

Alternative Treatment for Rosacea

skeenz — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:02:01 +0000

Rosacea is an embarrassing problem that many adults must learn to live with. It is a skin condition that looks a little like a sunburn on the face and could also resemble a bad acne breakout. In very severe cases, rosacea can disfigure the nose, leave the patient needed corrective surgery. There are treatment options for rosacea and while these medications, lotions and creams cannot completely get rid of the rosacea, it can alleviate the look and the symptoms. For those people that have tried all of the common treatments with no luck, it might be a good idea to look into some alternative treatments that may help.

Natural creams: There are many creams on the alternative market that is marketed towards helping people alleviate their rosacea symptoms. One such cream is called chrysanthellum indicum cream. It sounds like a long name, but it is really a cream made from the herb of the same name. In research, this herb has been shown to help strengthen capillaries, which are what dilates during a rosacea attack. This cream should be applied to the affected area twice a day for twelve weeks. It can actually lessen the severity of the redness caused by rosacea. In addition, because it is a natural herb, it has no proven side effects for the patient.

Another alternative cream that has been quite effective is called niacinamide cream. This is actually a type of vitamin B3, which can be used to treat rosacea and a whole host of other skin conditions. This cream can increase the moisture levels on the skin and will reduce the swelling caused by rosacea. You can purchase this treatment as a topical solution or an oral supplement at many health food stores.

Green tea also has many healing properties can green tea cream has been shown to make a marked difference in rosacea patients. The green tea cream, after being applied two times each day actually reduced the redness, swelling and red bumps caused by rosacea.

A cream made using rye, barley and wheat called azelaic acid is also quite effective for treating the symptoms caused by rosacea. This cream seems to slow the rate of skin bacteria that forms on the skin, which then causes the red bumps, pustules and redness on the face. This type of cream can also be used help with the burning and dryness that many people with rosacea experience.

Another great alternative to medication when treating rosacea comes from taking a look at your diet. It is believed that some people with rosacea have this problem because of food allergies or sensitivity. Some doctors recommend eliminating spicy foods, wheat and caffeine to see if that makes any difference in the outbreaks. In fact, you might even improve your skin during an outbreak by increasing the amount of fluids your drink each day. When you are dehydrated, it affects your skin and with rosacea this can be a major problem.

As you can see, there are many alternative treatments to rosacea. If you suffer from this skin condition, try these methods and see if they make an improvement on your outbreaks. You may find that some of these treatment options work better, with fewer side effects than other treatments.

Finding Support for Your Rosacea

skeenz — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:30:01 +0000

While rosacea can be quite embarrassing and could actually cause you to feel alone, you are not alone. There are millions of people that suffer from this troublesome skin condition and there are probably many people right in your own area. If you suffer from rosacea, then you may want to seek out support. Having someone you can talk to about treatment, triggers and the future of your condition can help you feel like you have support and can also make you a better educated patient. So, where do you go for rosacea support? Here is help finding the support you need.

The Internet: These days, you don’t have to find support in your neighborhood. The Internet is a great place to go when you need support for your rosacea. There are many online support groups that will welcome you with open arms. Many of these online groups have message board and forums, links to rosacea related websites and even advice on treatment. Common support groups include iVillage, and Network 54. In addition, there are many other support groups that maintain their own website and message forums. If you go to Google or another search engine, just type in “rosacea support group” and it will yield many results to help you find the online support you want.

Local Community: The next place you can go if you are looking for support for your rosacea is your local community. Many local newspapers will list support groups along with meeting times and locations. Check to see if there is a group that meets monthly where you can go and discuss your condition. Many times, these groups will meet at local churches, private homes or even schools.

Help from your doctor: If you are not comfortable with joining an online message board for your rosacea, and cannot find one in your neighborhood, then check with your doctor. Your doctor might know other patients who are in your shoes and can help you get in touch with others. This is a great way to get the support you need when you are suffering from this skin condition.

Start your own group: The other thing you can do when you want support for your rosacea is to start your very own support group. It is actually not as hard as you may think and you may find many people that live near you who are experiencing the same problem. Start by inquiring about others in your neighborhood that suffer from rosacea. You can also place an ad in your local paper to solicit member. Pretty soon, you will have your very own support group that will not only benefit you, but others as well.

It can be very comforting to know that you have the support you need and want when you have any medical condition or problem. Support groups can help you find doctors and treatment and can give you friendship and advice. Get online today and find a rosacea support group to help you.