What is rosacea, and what can you do about it?
If your face looks like you're blushing and you have bumps that look like acne, you might have a skin condition called rosacea. This condition affects a relatively large amount men and women, so I wanted to write a blog about this topic to give more insights and help to those dealing with this condition.
What is rosacea? Several symptoms characterize rosacea: rapid blushing (flushes or flare-ups), permanent redness, and visible blood vessels in the face, also known as couperose, are the most common. However, there are people whose redness isn't as noticeable but who have a lot more bumps, pimples, and red thickenings of the skin. This form is called rosacea type 2. The symptoms can resemble acne and is often mistaken by doctors.
There are four subtypes:
Type 1: blushing or flushing and permanently red face
Type 2: red bumps and pimples
Type 3: thickening skin on the nose
Type 4: irritation on the eyes and eyelids
What causes rosacea? There is still a lot of uncertainty around the cause of rosacea. We know that it mainly affects women with light skin around the age of 30. Luckily, there are many researchers out there who want to find out what the cause is. So far, we have the following information:
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) Rosacea is linked with SIBO symptoms. Researchers from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Genoa in Italy found that rosacea patients have a significantly higher prevalence of SIBO [1]. There is good news for those who suffer from rosacea: this study also indicates that if the SIBO is eliminated, the skin can recover completely. I, therefore, strongly recommend looking into your gut health if you suffer from rosacea.
Autoimmune disorders like diabetes
Rosacea may have a link with autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a large population-based case-control study [2]. It is believed that rosacea is an autoimmune disorder.
(Demodex) Mites The Demodex mites are mites that occur on the skin. Many studies [3] have shown that this mite is found in large quantities on the skin of people with rosacea, especially on people who suffer from type 1 and 2. The mites love to be on damaged skin and can cause sensitive and irritated skin when they leave bacteria that they carry with them, which cause inflammation on the skin and blood vessels (couperose). Luckily, there are quite some products that can help get rid of these mites.
Triggers Although they're not thought to be direct causes of the condition, several triggers have been identified that may worsen rosacea.
These include:
exposure to sunlight
stress
strenuous exercise
hot or cold weather
hot drinks
alcohol and caffeine
certain foods, such as spicy foods
Histamine There is a link between the food that you eat and skin conditions like rosacea and eczema. A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology revealed that mast cell numbers are increased in the skin of rosacea patients [4]. The study found that the mast cell proteases recruit other immune cells. This process then ends up amplifying the inflammatory response.
Histamine is present in a lot of food, plus there are also foods that promote histamine release from body cells. Here are a few examples of foods that contain or promote the release of histamine that can trigger rosacea and eczema:
Tomatoes
Spinach
Mango
Kiwi
Bananas
Egg whites
Cinnamon
Cacao
Vanilla
Yeast
Alcohol
If you have rosacea, it would be good to consider following a low histamine diet for a couple of months and seeing how your skin reacts. If it improves, you can slowly incorporate one histamine food at a time and see how your skin reacts. A good tip is to keep a food journal so you can record symptoms and triggers.
Skincare with rosacea The right skincare routine is vital in the treatment of rosacea. That is why I recommend:
Cleansing the skin with a mild cleanser and avoid scrubs
Using sunscreen every day
Avoiding excessive heat like saunas and steams
Doing an elimination test with all the products that you use on your skin (including makeup), where you stop using a product for a period of time and then reintroducing them during a “challenge” period to see if it effects your skin condition.
Use skincare products that use soothing ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E and licorice root extract.
Comme Ça Skincare has some products in our line that
can potentially benefit rosacea:
La Vitamine C Powder La Vitamine C Powder is highly concentrated with the purest and most effective form of vitamin C; ascorbic acid. According to a study, vitamin C calms the skin, and it can reduce the redness caused by rosacea [5]. La Vitamine C Powder is a very gentle but powerful skin booster; vitamin C boosts collagen production, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, restores skin elasticity, reduces hyperpigmentation, and repairs the skin barrier.
La Prickly Pear Seed Oil This is a very gentle face oil that works well to calm and soothe inflammation caused by rosacea due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It is a fantastic moisturizer that softens the skin and is not only suitable for dry and mature skin but also for oily skin as it easily sinks into the skin and doesn’t leave the skin feel or look greasy. It is also supercharged with vitamins to nourish and protect the skin.
Le Youth Sérum
This serum contains pure and organic vanilla, which has a very calming effect and reduces inflammation caused by rosacea, thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. The gorgeous blend of plant oils moisturizes the skin while the vitamins and antioxidants protect against premature skin ageing. The algae extract restores skin elasticity and, together with the Acmella Oleracea extract, reduces the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.
Parodi A, Paolino S, Greco A, Drago F, Mansi C, Rebora A, Parodi A, Savarino V. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in rosacea: clinical effectiveness of its eradication. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 Jul;6(7):759-64. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2008.02.054. Epub 2008 May 5. PMID: 18456568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18456568/
Egeberg A, Hansen PR, Gislason GH, Thyssen JP. Clustering of autoimmune diseases in patients with rosacea. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 Apr;74(4):667-72.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.11.004. Epub 2016 Jan 30. PMID: 26830864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26830864/
Chang YS, Huang YC. Role of Demodex mite infestation in rosacea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 Sep;77(3):441-447.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2017.03.040. Epub 2017 Jul 12. PMID: 28711190. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28711190/
Yumiko Muto, Zhenping Wang, Matthieu Vanderberghe, Aimee Two, Richard L. Gallo, Anna Di Nardo, Mast Cells Are Key Mediators of Cathelicidin-Initiated Skin Inflammation in Rosacea, Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Volume 134, Issue 11, 2014, Pages 2728-2736, ISSN 0022-202X. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24844861/
Topical vitamin C preparation reduces erythema of rosacea, Carlin RB, Carlin CS. Cosmetic Dermatol 2001;Feb:35-8/ Niacinamide- Containing Facial Moisturizer Improves Skin Barrier and Benefits Subjects With Rosacea, Draelos ZD, Ertel K, Berge C. Cutis 2005; 76:135-141